A Recut Gem
by NovusDawn
Summary: After turning on Cinder and Salem and being turned into a Grimm hybrid, Emerald Sustrai now has to face a challenge she never thought she would, going strait and find her way in life. With the aid of former enemies she must not only come to terms with her new form but also help hunt down the remains of Salem's forces. My first FanFic, hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome to My first fanfic folks, thanks for stopping by. Just a bit of a heads up but the first chapter is mostly exposition in the form on Emerald giving her testimony. Next chapter should be less dull but I wanted to get this first chapter out and test the waters. Please feel to leave constructive feedback and your thoughts on the story so far, always looking for ways to improve. Should hopefully get the next chapter out in the next coming days, hope to see you then!**

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A Re-cut Gem

There were many places Emerald had imagined herself being in her life, from dead in the gutter to atop an Ivory tower. The last place she would have seen herself would be in a court room watching as heads of state from across Remnant debate allowing her parole and a chance to move on from her dark past. In truth it was almost as terrifying as being in the presence of the mother of all Grimm, _almost._

Turning traitor on such a person and her loyal followers had cost her dearly. It had cost her her first family, her first friend and partner... Her humanity. Emerald sighed as she looked past her silver prosthetic arms and hands to the warped obsidian black talons that were now her feet. Four long forward facing digits with a fifth extending backwards that would have ended in wickedly hooked talons if not for the constant trimming her jailers preformed on her every several days. She still awoke to the phantom pains as the Grimm parasite that bastard Watts had used on her twisted her body and mind into that of something both Grimm and human, one of the first hybrids that many were now calling 'The Shaded'.

Emerald was snapped from her darkening thoughts as she heard her name called from the Council member's bench. "Ms. Sustrai, the Council of Kingdoms have finished with Mrs. Arkos's testimony and now call upon you for your own version of what happened on the day of your defection." Emerald only nodded as she rose from her seat, stretching the cramps out of the ebony black Nevermore wings that Watts had grafted to her back as she walked to the stand she pasted Pyrrha Nikos to the stand.

The Mistralian champion had not come out from her faked death and months of experiments and 'conditioning' human either, having been subjected to the same Watt's earlier attempts at the Hybridization process. Her complexion was that of something that had not seen the light of day in years and gentle threads of red graced her limbs and body in gentle and simplistic patterns that were found on many Grimm. Poking from her hair, still done up in her signature pony tail, were several horns of bone that hugged the curves of her head, mimicking the diadem she once wore while human.

Along with several bone spikes protruding from her elbows and shoulders it could be said that she wore these inhuman additions with almost regal grace, being both beautiful and unsettling in equal measure.

As they passed Pyrrha's eyes meet the four of Emerald's the Grimm added pair being just above and slightly behind her original pair on her face. The spartan flashed her former enemy a reassuring smile and a quick thumbs up before making her way to her now husband Jaune as Emerald moved into the stand and took a seat. She shifted in discomfort as the wide back of the chair forced her fold her wings against her back with the tips hanging awkwardly over the armrests and causing her wings to frame her figure and highlight her inhuman appendages.

'A lovely way to start' Emerald gripped in her head as the representative of Atlas arched an eyebrow at the display.

"Please state your name for the record and then proceed with your account." Stated the Mistralian representative while shuffling her papers, not dignifying to meet the eyes of the defendant. Emerald bobbed her head while giving one of her practiced fake smiles. " Of course your honors, My name is Emerald Sustrai and I will do my best to recount the events of our escape."

Emerald took a breath to steady herself and briefly looked to Jaune and Pyrrha, possibly the only two people on Remnant that could relate to the experiences of being captives of Salem and her twisted minions before launching into her account. "I would think it best if I were to start at... the fall. Until that time I had unwavering faith in Cinder Fall and the plans for the future, one where she promised all would be equal and none would go hungry. To someone such as me who had lived day to day with no promise of a meal and looked down upon by those who didn't know what going hungry felt like it was as intoxicating and addicting as any drug, one I feel for all to readily."

The crude state provided prosthetics gave a hiss and whine of protest as Emerald's hands clenched as she began to dredge up memories she would rather leave dead and buried. Making eye contact with each and every representative she continued. "Until then I had told myself that every dark act, every questionable deed I had committed was in service to seeing a better world. But on that day, as I watch Beacon burn and so many innocents die and suffer... I began to see the truth behind her hollow promises and lies."

"The reality of just who I had cast my lot with became even more clear when I meet with Cinder's... allies and master, a woman I only knew as Salem, self proclaimed mother of Grimm. As you have heard from Mr and Mrs Arkos" Emerald gestured towards the two hunters sitting behind her in the gallery. "She appeared to be a Shaded, sharing many similarities with us, or more accurately us with her as she was most likely the first." This was, of course, a blatant lie, but one she had agreed to tell the council by the new wizard Oscar along with Pyrrha and Jaune.

It had been a requirement among many others that she had agreed with to secure the help from such powerful people and the large numbers of favors they had have to of called in to secure a chance for Emerald's freedom. Honestly it was most likely the only reason that Emerald was getting such a hearing at all instead of being tossed to rot in a cell the rest of her life or being outright executed. She also agreed from her personal experiences with the thought that the less the powers that be knew of the wizard and the maidens, and magic in general, the better off the world would be.

"As has been shown, some Shaded have the ability to... I hesitate to say 'control', so much as dominate and force our will onto a hand full of Grimm given several factors. Salem however, was able to control entire hordes of Grimm and seemed to prefer their company to that of humans or Faunus. To actually witness such a being made me certain that I had made a horrid choice but surrounded by such people as Cinder, Dr Watts, and Tyrian I had resigned myself to continued service of Cinder and Salem."

Emerald took a shaky breath, closing her eyes as the images of those dark days threatened to crack her composure. Upon opening her eyes she locked gazes with Pyrrha, the one ally, or so she thought, she had been able to find in the morbid spaces of Salem's fortress. "It was months after the fall before I learned of just what kind of things Dr Watts was doing in the dungeons and of who's screams and calls I heard daily. I was sent by Salem to 'assist' him with our hidden guest, Ms Nikos. When I learned of her survival and the hybridization experiments Watts was preforming I knew that I had to leave, no matter the cost."

"I was instructed to use my semblance to break and condition Pyrrha so that she would serve Salem. To that point traditional methods had yielded 'unsatisfactory' results and Salem's patience with Watts was growing thin. To that point Watts had been reluctant to enlist my aid, I suspect he might have been catching on to my growing discomfort, but fearing Salem's ire and wanting results himself relented."

"It was at this time that a plan started to form in my head, it was risky and would require sacrifice, patients, and cooperation with Pyrrha." Emerald glanced towards Pyrrha, seeing her face tighten in remembrance of the lengths the both of them had gone through. They had fully immersed themselves into the darkness, knowing full well that they would both be forced to commit acts that would never wash clean.

Emerald motioned to one of the many guards placed around her for water, accepting it with a visibly shaking hand. The intentionally crude state provided prosthetic only served to make the issue more apparent as the never signals that would have only cause slight trembles were read as erratic spasms, causing her arms and hands to twitch in an almost seizure like degree.

Emerald could only quietly curse as she unintentionally spilled half her water and barely finished what was left before crushing the glass in her grip causing several eyebrows to raise from several council members and representatives. "Ms. Sustrai." Began the representative from Vacuo in a surprisingly soft and comforting tone. "If you feel so uncomfortable, we can take a small recess for you to compose yourself and we can reconvene at a later time."

" _NO._ " Emerald almost shouted, the whites of her eyes clouding to a obsidian black as the negative emotions coursing through her caused her Grimm nature bubble closer to the surface. Several guards tightened their grip on their weapons and several sharp breaths to be taken from the gathered councilmen and representatives before Emerald took a breath to steady herself and her eyes returned to their normal coloration. "This needs to be said, but do not mistake this a plea for forgiveness or absolution because it isn't. The choices and actions that we... I, had to do to Pyrrha, no, my _friend_ was not because it was the easiest or least risky, but our _only_ chance of escaping. Not a day goes by that I don't hate myself for the things I had to do."

"Over the months that were used for the preparation of the next phase of Salem's plan I had spent training and in that time I found that, given enough time and repeated exposure to my semblance that I was not only able to cause personal hallucinations but to brainwash. This was a trait that Salem and Cinder were all to willing to exploit. My first sessions with Pyrrha were... tense, to say the least as while going through the process of conditioning her mind I used this time to converse with her through the use of my semblance on any guard or watching Grimm. To use my semblance on more than one person is taxing on my mind, both physically and mentally but I was able explain my exhaustion away from the time and aura needed to fully bring Pyrrha under Salem's command."

"During this time I was able to convince Pyrrha that I wanted to break away from Salem and her insanity and that we would need to work together to have even a remote chance. I also learned during this time that Pyrrha had gained some for of connection with Ruby Rose, able to speak to her if only at a subconscious level which proved us with even better chances of success if she could strengthen this connection to communicate.

"While I would still have to brainwash her and she would have to resign herself to Salem's will, committing any atrocity that Salem commanded, I could leave Pyrrha's subconscious locked away and still active to work on the communication with Ms Rose and leave a trigger that would allow me to break the control and conditioning when needed. This however meant that Pyrrha would be a passenger and prisoner in her own body, fully aware of the acts it committed and unable to interfere in any meaningful way."

"It took longer than either of us had anticipated for Pyrrha to finally make contact Ms Rose and in that time we had both been forced to continue serving Salem to maintain cover. After contact was made we still had the problem of them coming for us which was proving an issue as only a select few where allowed to even know the location not to mention the swarms of avian Grimm that would tear anything not given clearance by Salem out of the sky."

"It was at this time that things started to wrong. Despite my attempts to keep my activities of collecting information and keeping Pyrrha from truly losing herself secret, I was discovered. Watts had always been distrustful of everyone, me more for my association with Cinder whom he considered a rival. Because of this he had been watching me through the use of some of his other 'experiments', failed attempts of creating the shade parasite that still retained some cognitive functions while I worked with Pyrrha to 'maintain' her brainwashing."

"The first I knew of my discovery was Watt's rejected experiments grabbing me and dragging be to Watt's lab to face the good doctor and Cinder fall." Emerald shivered at the memory of the twisted abominations that had barged into her room, piling onto her and dragging her roughly through the crypt like halls of Salem's home. "My partner, Mercury Black was also present and I could tell he was uneasy from his body language and forced to be present as I was made an example of."

"From there things only got worse for me as Cinder took my betrayal as a personal insult, excising her considerable power on me in both punishment and interrogation. The only thing that kept me alive was the usefulness of my semblance to Salem and Cinder's continued plans,one they planned to keep by letting Watt's trying his newest version of the Shade parasite on me."

Emerald absentmindedly ran her hands up and down her metallic arms as phantom pain surged in her arms at mere memory and caused her to grimace. "He had refined the Scarab's original power to absorb things from humans so that it could target much more specific parts of the soul, specifically memory and personality. They had reasoned even if I had became a unthinking husk I would still be able to use my semblance. He also wanted to test a 'theory' as to why shade parasites with avian based strains of Grimm tended to kill their host during the reconstruction phase of their takeover."

"He... amputated my arms, as in every case so far he had noted that when the parasite tried to warp the subjects arms into wing the massive strain this put on the body killed them, aura or no. Since the parasite cannot successfully infect a host unless their aura is not awakened or at least drained to a certain point they killed two birds by removing my arms and at the same time allowing my aura deal with the trauma instead rendering aid in keeping me alive."

"Might I ask just how you were able to learn of this information?" Asked a Atlisian scientist with interest on his face causing Emerald to click her tongue in mild disgust at the interruption. the scientist's clear lack of concern in Emerald's situation at the time caused hot anger to spike through her body, causing the whites of her eyes to cloud to pitch black once more as she answered in a clipped tone.

"If you _must_ know it is because Watts is a talkative bastard and enjoyed nothing more than explaining just what he was doing to his patients. Just another reason that he liked keeping people awake and lucid during his 'experiments'.

There were several deep breaths from around the room from both Emerald's controlled outburst and her explanation. That Watts and indeed any who willing followed Salem had a disregard for human life but such brutal acts still managed to shock them. "I-I can't describe the feeling of having something attack you in both body and mind accurately, it is the most invasive and defiling experience I can imagine. Even while my body rebelled, feet turning talons and wings sprouting from my back the parasite attacked my mind. I... I lost parts of myself that day, I know that much but I can't remember what was lost. There are just holes where I know I should be able to recall something but can't. That I was able to retain as much of myself as I did is little short of a miracle as is the events that occurred next."

"while my transformation for lack of a better word was happening, Salem had sent Pyrrha to capture both Ms. Rose and Mr. Arc. They were apparently next on the list of subjects to be turned which is why I was being turned as well, they wanted to make sure that the next steps of their plans went as smoothly as possible. Mr. Arc was already being infected when I came to which is when my partner Mercury Black saved me."

"Was Mr. Black in league with you?" Emerald snapped from her trance like state at the question, looking at the Mistralian representative, blinking a few times before realizing they wanted an answer.

"N-no, he wasn't. In fact I had planned on having to fight him in the attempt of an escape. That he sided with me was an unexpected turn of events but one I was able to use. With his help we were able to find Ms. Rose and free her before Watts could begin his experiments on her. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for Mr. Arc as he was already in the beginning stages of the infection." Emerald glanced at the now white haired man and smiled sadly. "Thankfully even with his depleted Aura he was able to move as the infection changed him, allowing us to make or way to Pyrrha's holding area. After freeing her from the brainwashing and conditioning we made our way to the air dock and found the Bullhead they had been brought in still there. From there we were able to travel a good distance before the flocks of flying Grimm descended upon us, lead by Tryian."

"It didn't take long for those flocks of Grimm to force us into a crash landing but by then we had been able to make our way far enough to have a hope of actually finding civilization. It didn't stop Tyrian and his horde of Grimm from trying to kill us. With me and Mr. Arc out of aura due to our transformations and Ms. Rose having lost her weapon prior to being captured it was left to Mercury and Ms. Nikos to defend us."

"It didn't take long for the horde of Grimm to force us into a 'running' retreat. It was several days of our group running and hiding as Tyrian and his Grimm hunting us down. By then Mr. Arc had recovered enough to help with the fighting but was weaponless like most of us. It wasn't long after that Tyrian was able to corner us with what was left of his Grimm horde."

Emerald paused, fighting back her emotions as she recalled the next events and the friend and partner she had lost. "With me, Mr. Arc and Ms Nikos were actually able to either kill or turn the Grimm horde on themselves but this still left the threat of Tyrian. It was then that my partner, Mercury told us to run, saying he would hold Tyrian off long enough for us to hopefully get away. I... I honestly can't say what made him do this as we had always been more than a little cold to each other, nothing more than partners."

"Regardless of our past dealings he gave his own life for our escape. It took us nearly three weeks to make it to a town and by then I was suffering from infections from my less than careful amputations. It was a only thanks to Ms. Rose that me, Ms. Nikos and Mr. Arc received any treatment due to our new species or were outright killed. From there we were able to make contact with Mistral and Haven academy where I turned myself over and all the information about Salem, Cider, and the plans they had at the time."

Emerald sighed, leaning back into the chair awkwardly as she felt her wings pressed into her back. She looked towards the council members and representatives as they spoke in hushed tones before the Atlisian representative leaned forward with a face that had mixture of pity and sympathy written across it. "Quite the tale Ms. Sustrai, and I can say with certainty that the information that you provided the united kingdoms played an integral role in combating this 'Salem' and her forces. At the same time you and your role in the events that transpired at Beacon and the Vital festival caused countless deaths and injuries, not to mention the swell in Grimm attacks that still plague us."

Emerald could only wince at the tone of the representative's voice as half a dozen guards moved in on her. Without complaint Emerald held out her metallic wrists which mag-lock cuffs were secured to by one guard as another clasped her ankles in a matching pair of shackle. While this happen the representative continued to talk.

"It will take some time for use to again go over the accounts and come to agreement but a decision will be pasted down by the end of the day, of that you can be assured of. For now we will adjourn this council until a final verdict is made. Guards, please see Ms. Sustrai into the holding area for the time where she can await the verdict."

Emerald couldn't help put quietly gulp as two of the guards unceremoniously hoisted her from her seat and marched with her in their hands out of the court room with the remaining four guards walking just behind them. "I'd rather trust my luck to a coin flip." Emerald muttered as the heavy court room doors slammed shut behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello folks, Novus here with another chapter of my Fic! Thank you to those that have read and liked the story, it really means a lot to see even a few people enjoy my work. Still getting things off the ground but I have to say I am feeling somewhat hopeful that this story will actually turn out decently. Can't say when I will get the next chapter out as I am still juggling my work schedule as the week or two after Christmas and New Years is the busy season but fear not! I will endeavor to get it out within the next week. I might even up the stakes and try to squeeze in another thousand words. until then enjoy the new chapter and as always, review and comments are welcome.**

 **Oh and as you might have guessed I don't own squat, all rights for RWBY go to roosterteeth and the great mind of Monty Oum.**

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A Re cut Gem

Chapter 2

"Well I think that went splendidly." Pyrrha remarked as she sat across from Emerald, a disposable cup filled with water clasped gently in her lap and received only a groan of disagreement from her mint haired friend.

Pyrrha and Jaune had been allowed into Emerald's waiting room several minutes after she herself had entered. The couple had been doing their best to support Emerald through the long and difficult process of being released since the start, stating they owed her for saving them and helping take down Salem and the better part of her forces. Even after knowing them several years and coming to call them her friends, she still found that their always positive and cheerful outlook on life annoying at times.

Emerald's response was muffled by the metallic hands that cupped her face. "The why do I feel like they are just going to stuff me in a concrete hole and leave me to rot? I might as well get myself stuffed and mounted on a nice bit of scenery that the kingdoms can put on display."

'Huh, do you think you would look better in a perched position on a branch or maybe a mid-flight pose?" Jaune absentmindedly asks as he rubbed the stubble on his chin, earning a glare from Emerald and a none to gentle elbow in his side from his wife. "Hey! I didn't mean anything by it, just wondering, geez."

Emerald could only look at Jaune in wonder and disbelief as he looked like a child be scolded by their mother as Pyrrha lectured him on thinking before saying such things aloud. She found it almost impossible to believe that this couple that were awkwardly fighting in hushed tones were two of the most skilled and renowned hunters on Remnant. If she hadn't actually seen the both of them in action she would have thought the entire planet was in on some giant joke she didn't know about.

Jaune had aged well, all things considered and like his wife wore his changed form like he had been born with it. His golden blonde hair had faded to a bone white with a streak of Crimson red that ran down the middle but even at nearly thirty years old he still had it in the same scraggly mess from when she first met him at Beacon what seemed a lifetime ago. He still retained his slim build but were as before he looked lanky and clumsy he could now be described as lean; with whipcord like muscles which belied the fact that in terms of strength he could hold his own against a certain blonde haired brawler. At least until she used her good arm that is.

His own Grimm heritage didn't end at his hair or slightly paler complexion she noted. The hands he used to try and placate his wife with were tipped with blunt claws and had bone plates dotting the outside of his arms up to his elbows. A Short spike jutted up from both his knees with the left having looked to have been broken or cut off in fight sometime recently. The last thing that visibly marked him as inhuman was the bone white wolf-like tail that extended from his back and was currently tucked between his legs.

It was only after he was infected that they had been able to figure out the specie of Grimm that had infected him. A new breed of much more feral-like wolf Grimm that Salem had created to lead or replace the more common Beowulf that had been christened the Dirgehowl. As the name implied, the Dirgehowl could unleash a directed shock wave in the form of it's howl that could be potentially lethal, a trait Jaune had inherited much like Pyrrha had inherited the ability to breath fire from the Drake essence that had be forced into her.

It took Emerald several moments to realize that Pyrrha and Jaune had stopped their talking and were looking at Emerald as she gazed at them. She blushed and hung her head, her bangs covering her eyes as she looked at the ground. "S-sorry, didn't mean to stare at the both off you."

"You still blame yourself for me and Pyrrha being turned into Shaded, don't you Em?" Jaune's voice was quiet and consoling in its tone as he got up and moved next to Emerald. "You need to stop beating yourself up so much and trust me, I'm a bit of an expert on THAT particular subject."

The comment got a sad smile out of the former thief even as she shook her head. "If it wasn't for me... you and Pyrrha-" "Might or might not still be human." Interrupted Pyrrha as she moved to gently take one of Emerald's prosthetic hands in her own. "Even had you never met Cinder, there is no guarantee that Jaune and me could wouldn't have ended up like this anyway. What IS certain is that Without you or Mercury we wouldn't be here. We can't change what happened in the past, we can only go forward and make sure not to repeat those mistakes."

"I might not even _have_ a future, at least one outside of a cage." Emerald scoffed gently as her two friends sat beside her. She smiled soft as Pyrrha gave her a loose hug and Jaune rested a hand on her shoulder.

"You will just have to trust in us and your actions Em, you breaking ranks from Cinder and Salem is what gave us the information to finally take the fight to them. No one can say what you did was easy or didn't shift the tide of the fight." Jaune smiled before the sound of the sole door opening caused him to look up. Standing at the door was a well dressed clerk with combed back hair and a nervous demeanor.

The man clear his throat causing Emerald and Pyrrha to look up. "T-the council has come to a decision, the defendant is to be led back to the court room for final verdict." Jaune chuckled at the man, able to feel the fear and anxiety that rolled off him in waves from being in a room with what he perceived as three monsters.

"Well at least they were quick about it, lets go get this over with so that we can get you out of this hole." Jaune smiled as he and Pyrrha we forced to step away from Emerald as the guards once again to up their positions. Once in position Emerald gave one last wave to her friends as she was led from the room to hear her future.

The court room that Emerald entered was missing several people from the audience, most notably the scientist and what little other non-functionaries that had been allowed to witness. The only new addition was a black haired man in his early thirties with eyes of green flecked with yellow standing near the double doors. Emerald knew him to be Oscar, the successor to Ozpin and the latest man to be burdened with the title of the wizard.

The sound of the head councilman's gavel rapping sharply on the lectern caused Emerald to jump as her eyes were drawn to the aged Atlisian councilman's features before he spoke. "I must say Ms. Sustrai that this has been on of the most interesting cases I have had to preside over in my long career as a councilman of Atlas. The role you played in the fall of Beacon alone should see you swinging from the gallows, not to mention the other myriad of acts that you have committed against the kingdoms in your time working with Cinder Fall."

Emerald gulped as her hand gently rubbed at her neck without her notice as she imaged the tightening of the noose as she looked at mixture of emotions that graced the different faces of the representatives as the head councilman continued. "That being said, we of the council cannot over look the role that you played in the taking down of Cinder and her master, this 'Salem'. If it were not for your efforts and your sacrifices, the Kingdoms would still most likely be at each others throats while the forces of Cinder and Salem continued on their quest for control of Remnant."

"When weighed against each other we, the council, have come to the agreement that your actions and the faith of some of the most prominent hunters and headmasters place in you outweigh your sins. You crimes have been pardoned but do not mistake that with them being forgotten. This chance you have been granted at a new life is not without it's restrictions and provisions. You will be under strict supervision by several different agencies from the kingdoms for as long as we see fit. One misstep and you will find yourself back in a cell and there will be no second chance, is that quite clear?"

Emerald could only nod dumbly in silence as several guards moved forward to unhook the several restraints on her arms, legs and wings. She was still having a hard time comprehending and even more so believing what was going on even as the councilman continued on. " For reasons quite beyond me you have been allowed to not only carry the weapons of a huntress but will also be given the position of apprentice hunter as your own skills, and new species, make you a potent weapon against the forces of Grimm. You will shadow a pair of elite hunters who will be both your teachers and your parole officers, reporting to them and receiving missions until such time as they deem you fit to be left to your own devices."

The Councilman gestured to Oscar as he stepped up beside the still distant looking Shaded woman, gently taking her by the shoulder. "Professor Oscar Solomon, deputy headmaster of Haven, will be escorting you to the huntsmen that will be your minders, they will have all possessions that were confiscated from you at the time of your arrest. With that I call the council of the four Kingdoms to an end."

Oscar could smile at as he led Emerald down the corridors of the Vale Central Courthouse halls, the dazed expression on her face a clear indication that she was still trying to process the fact that she had been pardoned and been give a rare second chance at life. "I hope you appreciate all the trouble that I and your friends have gone through to secure you this chance Emerald. I had to call in quite a few of my favors... well my predecessors favors, to see this happen."

Emerald only nodded as her mind was snapped out of her daze at Oscar's words as they continued to walk. The sharp clack of her talon's on the hard marble floor was the only sound that punctuated the air as she finally found her voice.

"So... I'm really free?"

Oscar looked over his shoulder and gave a small smile and nodded silently in response.

"Like I won't walk out of this place only to be tackled and thrown back into a hole?"

Oscar could barely suppress the mirth in his voice."I would hope not, it would be a rather cruel joke on the council's part for that to be true and I have yet to witness any form of levity to come from them, in this or any of my past lives."

"I still can't really believe that... I'm actually getting a second chance, I mean how many people who have done things like me get to say that?" Emerald's words were barely audible to Oscar but they still caused a sad smile to cross his face.

"Far to few if I were to be honest. Most who have followed a path similar to yours have had no real drive to seek redemption, and the few that have were rarely given the chance. You have been given quite the gift Emerald, I hope you do not squander it." Replied Oscar in a more serious tone as the pair approached a door.

A look of determination and resolve crossed Emerald's face as she trained all four of her eyes on the back of Oscar's head. "Trust me I won't, I made a promise to Pyrrha, Jaune, and Mercury. I may have been a thief and a cheat but that doesn't mean I don't have my own code of honor. So who are these Hunters that I am going to be shackled to for the foreseeable future anyway? I'm guessing that are some bad-ass no bullshit paragons of all that is good and holy, right?"

Oscar could only laugh and nod his head as he opened and held the door open for the former thief. "Oh they are indeed the most feared and honored hunter Remnant has seen in generations. To cross them in even the slightest way would be folly as they would hunt you down and bring you to swift justice."

Emerald gulped gently before taking a breath and stepping through the portal only to be nearly tackled into a rib crushing hug by an all too familiar red headed female.

"Oh I'm SO happy for you Emmie! Congratulations on earning your second chance! We couldn't be more proud or happy for you!" Pyrrha bubbled as she lifted her friend off her talons in a vice like hug, causing Emerald to struggle in discomfort.

"GAH! Personal space, personal SPACE!" Emerald gasped out as she managed to wiggled out of her friends grasp before looking around the near empty room only to see Jaune chuckling silently as he stood by several cases. "W-what are you two doing here?! I thought I was meeting up with the two hunters that I would b- wait... Oh no, Nononononono you are shitting me right?!"

"Nope." Pyrrha chirped, popping the P as Jaune moved forward with a large silver case in his left hand while wrapping his arm gently around his wife's waist as she continued. "We will be your parole officers and mentors while you re-enter society as a law sworn huntress."

"Honestly Em, did you really think we would let anyone else keep an eye on you to make sure you would stick to your promises?" Jaune asked as he watched Emerald groan and cup her face in her hands.

Emerald sighed and could only nod slowly as Oscar walked up behind her as she answered. "I REALLY should have but I thought that they would at least pick a pair of hunters that _didn't_ have a few screws loose."

"Sadly, there has yet to be found such a hunter, let alone two that have had a full playing deck as it were." Quipped Oscar as he led Emerald to one of the vacant seats that were positioned around the room. "Of course, there are actual reasons for Mr. and Mrs. Arkos here to be the ones chosen as your, I feel mentors would be the word with the best fit."

Emerald nodded slightly, taking note of the more serious tone Oscar's voice had switched to as well as the professional looks that both her friends now sported. "I can only imagine that it would have to do with some of the 'inner works' of the world I was privy to when I was with Cinder, right?"

"Among other reasons, yes. Given your first hand experience with not only the maiden's but other secrets best kept from public knowledge I thought it best that you be watched by those already in the loop so as to minimize the risk of you accidentally revealing this knowledge." Oscar replied before taking out a intricate pocket watch from his breast pocket and popping the lid to check the time. Had anyone looked closely they would have seen the reflection of a mild aged man with spectacles and silver hair in the reflection on the inner surface of the watch.

"I will not lie to you Emerald, despite the trials you have gone through and the invaluable help you gave us against Salem I still do not fully trust you. It would be hard not to take such knowledge personally but the fact still stands that you aided in the killing of a maiden and the near destruction of an entire Kingdom. While you have made massive strides to prove your resolve of truly turning to walk on the path of the light I will need to see you continue this change for you to gain my full trust."

"I apologize but I must take my leave, the flight to Haven leaves soon and Headmaster Donovan has always been one for punctuality." Oscar nodded in way of goodbye to both Pyrrha and Jaune before turning and making his way out of the room.

Emerald was surprised to hear a low growl, causing her to look behind her to find Jaune as the source. She raised her hands defensively and smiled to disarm the tension that suddenly filled the room. "Calm down Jaunny boy, I honestly can't blame him for still not trusting me fully. I would actually think him a fool if he did."

"So does that mean you think me and Pyrrha are fools then?" Jaune asked, earning a scowl from Pyrrha and a soft shake of the head from Emerald.

"Hardly, I would like to think due to our time together as well as our shared change in species we have a slightly better understanding of each other. Also almost dying several times as you run for a sociopath scorpion-death stalker Faunus hybrid and his horde of Grimm tends to make it clear just who you can trust in a pinch." Emerald chuckled as she spoke, glad to see the serious look drain from the white haired man's face to be replaced with his normal good nature grin.

"I suppose you do have me there Em. I suppose I should be more used to no caring what other people think given our new forms but I've always worn my heart on my sleeve." Jaune smiled before hefting the case he held in one hand up. "Moving on from that pleasant chat, Pyrrha and I have a bit of a 'getting out of prison' present for you. I just hope they fit, would be kinda awkward if we go the measurements wrong."

Emerald tilled her head, a look of curiosity and anticipation crossing her face. "Oh you guys shouldn't have, what did you get me? A new pair of handcuffs in case you need to drag me back in for jay walking?"

"Well why don't you open it and find out Emerald?" Pyrrha replied with a hint of eagerness in her voice.

Emerald shrugged and undid the catches on the case as Jaune held it for her before lifting the lid. The sight that greeted her caused a lump to form in her throat as her eyes began to water. "Y-you guys... You really didn't have to do this... These must have cost a fortune."

Inside the case, secured in shock resistant foam sat two gleaming sliver prosthetic arms. Both had a segmented look as the outer layer was composed of multiple separate bands of elastic metal, contoured to give the impression of gently muscled arms and to provide a flexible housing for the artificial muscle bundles, pistons and circuitry that lay within. On each shoulder was stamped Emerald's personally heraldry, painted in a metallic emerald color.

Tears openly slid down Emerald's cheeks, landing on the softly shining arms as Pyrrha and Jaune simply smiled. Jaune set the case gently down on the vacant seat next to Emerald and pulled her into a gently hug, one the usually reserved woman returned. "You have been through so much Emerald, I doubt anyone other than me and Pyrrha could truly understand just how much. Despite all of that you still helped Pyrrha find each other. That alone is more than reason enough for use to see that you get the treatment that we know you have earned. So, do you need any help trying them on to take them for a spin?"

Emerald laughed, wiping the tears from her face with the crude prosthetic she had used for so many years and nodded. "I wouldn't mind a little help. It is more than a little tricky putting your arms on by yourself."

"We are more than willing to give you a hand or two Emmie." Pyrrha stated with a look of mischief in her eyes, causing her friend and husband to groan in near physical pain at the horrible pun.

"Remind me to beat Yang into the ground the next time I see her Emerald. She has corrupted my beautiful wife's mind with those horrid puns." Jaune sighed as he began taking the first arm out of the case while Emerald nodded and began to unhook her right arm from the connection point that had been surgically placed where her original shoulder had been. "I think the first think I will use these arms to do is help you with that Jaune, I have suffered enough in life already to have to hear jokes as bad as that."

* * *

 **A/N: if you need an actual visual aid for what Emerald's new arms just think the arm from the Winter Soldier from marvel as that is what I was trying to base them off.**


	3. Chapter 3

A Re-cut Gem

Chpt 3

Emerald grimaced slightly as she flexed her new fingers while gently rolling her wrists. The one thing she had come to dread when reattaching her arms was the pins and needles feeling that came with the synthetic nerves making connection.

"Everything in working order there Em?"

Emerald looked up from concentrating on her arms to see Pyrrha standing next to her with a slight hint of concern on her face. She still found it slightly odd that her field of direct view now stretched to cover her sides thanks to her additional eyes. Emerald smiled and nodded slightly, without needing to turn to 'face' Pyrrha. "Yeah, just working out the feeling of first connection with the nerves. Other than that these things almost feel like my original arms."

"That is wonderful to hear! I'm glad you like them, Yang will be pleased that she has another satisfied customer." Pyrrha smiled but her statement caused Emerald's head to snap in her direction as her eyes widened.

"Wait, tall blonde and brutish made these things? She never came across as the delicate engineering type for what I've seen and heard of her."

Jaune chuckled gently as he snapped the latches closed on the case that now contained Emerald's old arms, causing both women to look at him. "Yeah, that is the first thing most people tend to notice about her but they'd be wrong thinking that is all that to her. Beneath that yellow mass of hair is an astute and quite active mind. After breaking... three arms I think?, she got tired of buying replacements and started building and designing her own. After the dust settled from our fight with Salem and her followers Yang took her new little past time and turned it into quite the business, well when she isn't out on hunts."

"I am honestly surprised at that" stated Emerald as she shook her head. "Though I guess I never really got to know her before... Well before I started having second thoughts about my 'friends'." The thought brought the realization she would be now seeing, if not working with, so many people that she had caused pain and suffering. In all honesty it was more than a little intimidating.

The sound of Jaune's gauntlet clad hand slapping gently on the case of her arms brought Emerald out of her thoughts as looked towards her. "So Emerald, what do you want to do with these things? Not saying I'm an expert on the matter but they seemed to be in good condition if not a little crude, do you want to keep them?"

"Yeah, I'll hang on to them. Always nice to have back ups in case these new ones need maintenance." Emerald stated, motioning to her new arms. "So can I ask where I will be staying? I mean it wouldn't be the first time I've lived on the streets but I would think you would have like some sleaze motel I can crash in for the time being or something."

"Oh nothing of the sort Emerald. We would never let you stay in such a place while we could do anything about it." Pyrrha stated kindly as the small pile of boxes and containers became shrouded in a slight haze before floating slightly off the ground. " We have an extra room in our house on Patch which you can stay in until you're back on your feet, er, talons."

Emerald opened her mouth to protest but was cut of by when Pyrrha raised a finger in warning. "I won't be taking a no for a answer either. Trust me on this Emerald, the world isn't exactly very excepting of the Shaded. Even for Jaune and I, we still receive more that a few looks just by walking down the street."

Emerald could hear the sadness in Pyrrha's voice even as she wore a smile on her face though it didn't reach her eyes. Emerald never really considered just how much being a Shaded had affected Pyrrha. She would never be able to have the normal life she so desperately had wanted when they first had met. Oddly, Emerald realized she wouldn't be able to have a normal life either and it caused a small weight to settle in her chest.

"Meh, a human's version of 'normal' is just plain boring." Jaune stated as her wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and pulled her closer before planting a kiss on her temple, banishing the sadness that lingered in her eyes in a instant. "I prefer our definition of 'normal'. Which is to say completely unpredictable and full of people who should be committed, ourselves included. Wouldn't want it any other way."

Emerald couldn't help but chuckle as the trio left the room and headed out into the halls. Jaune still amazed her in how he could brighten the mood, not unlike a red haired scythe wielder. Three chatted idly as they made there way through the semi-crowded halls, not paying attention to the glances and looks that they and the pile of floating luggage and boxes received as they exited the build.

Jaune ambled walked to the back of a small covered pickup truck, the stickers and license plate announcing it as a rental, and opening the back hatch and tailgate before the floating pile of boxes neatly stored themselves away. The faint glow that had been shrouding them fade as Pyrrha gave a contented smile. "There we go, all set for the trip to the airdocks."

"That semblance of yours must comes in awful handy for you even outside of gutting Grimm." Emerald quipped as Jaune shut the truck back up before taking out a scroll from one of several pouches arrayed on his twin belts and looking at messages and missed calls.

Pyrrha nodded happily as she left Jaune to his business for the moment"Indeed it does, Jaune had the brilliant idea of placing metal plates on a lot of objects around the house. I can easily move just about anything around and nothing is out of my reach. "

"Though it is a firm house rule that sharp objects are forbidden from being floated around the house." Jaune added from the side while texting, causing Pyrrha to blush as a guilty look crossed her face before hanging her head slightly.

"Oh, I smell a juicy story in this house rule. C'mon Jaune-boy, I could use a good piece of dirt on miss saintly here." Emerald could only smile as Pyrrha's face turn the same shade as her hair and she covered her face as Jaune replied.

"She nearly cut my tail off with Milo when she forgot it in the bedroom as she was going out the front door for a hunt. I may not have had it that long but I am somewhat attached to it, metaphorically and literally speaking." Both Emerald and Pyrrha couldn't respond, one laughing too hard to breath properly and the other out of sheer embarrassment. The preoccupied trio didn't notice the pair of figures that were walking up to them until the beret clad of the pair announced their arrival.

"When you said you wanted to meet up for a shopping trip and to catch up, you failed to mentioned that you would bringing along a terrorist along for the trip P-money." The voice caused Emerald to stiffen before she slowly turned her head to get the speaker into her field of view. Sweat began to bead on the back of her neck as Coco glared death over the top of her shades at her while Velvet wore a conflicted look standing silently just behind her long time friend. "Would you care to explain?"

Pyrrha took several steps forward and placed a hand defensively on Emerald's shoulder as look of anger crossed her face. The touch served to unfreeze Emerald, allowing her to fully turn around but remained quiet as Pyrrha returned the hostile glare. "Coco, I politely ask that you not refer to Emerald as a Terrorist again. She is trying to leave that behind her and start a new life. I will not pretend to say she has not done terrible things but she has been given the chance to try and make things right!"

"S-she DID help Pyrrha and gave us the edge to take on Salem, Coco. If the councils pardoned her then shouldn't we give her a chance?" Velvet asked quietly from behind Coco, earning a glare from her former leader that caused her to squeak and rabbit ears to droop.

"You would actually want to give that manipulative little harpy a chance after all she's done?! She made Pyrrha kill Penny for fuck's sake!"Coco almost yelled at Velvet causing both Emerald and Pyrrha to take a step forward.

"Hey, don't yell at your friend, your problem is with me!" Emerald shouted in defense of the innocent Faunus woman as Pyrrha nodded in agreement before speaking up. "Emerald's right, don't yell at Velvet. Emerald might of made me kill Penny but she did get better!"

"You DO realize that defense would only works in Penny's case, right Pyrrha?" Coco deadpanned as she returned her glare glare to Emerald. Pyrrha went to respond but stopped with her mouth slightly open when she realize that Coco did make a point. Thankfully she was saved further embarrassment as Jaune stepped in after having kept quite.

"Now ladies, let's keep things civil here." Jaune's slightly raised tone held a commanding edge that caused the four huntresses to look to him. His face wore a look that said he would not tolerate any interruption as he continued.

"Pyrrha, there are some things that Emerald is going to have to face and accept about her past as she moves on. We can't always be there to defend her nor is it possible in some cases. Some of her actions and decisions she can try to make right but form others she has to live with them as her burden. All we can do is try and help make that burden one that won't crush her but we can't carry it for her, no mater how much we might want to."

Pyrrha's face softened into one of sad acceptance at her husband's words before she sighed and nodded her head in acknowledgement. The look on Jaune's face morphed to one of apology as he rested a hand on her shoulder before giving it a slight squeeze of comfort before returning to one of a commanding officer.

"Coco, I know you have a more personal grievance than most against Emerald and I am not going to say it isn't somewhat warranted nor that you must drop it. That said, Pyrrha, Ruby, and I all owe or lives to Emerald and it is only because of her and the information we gained from her turning against Cinder that we were able to defeat her and Salem. She has been given the chance to try and start life anew and I ask you as your friend and comrade-in-arms that you give her that chance. I'm not asking you to become her best friend or for you to instantly forgive her here and now but at least give her a chance."

Coco meet Jaune's even gaze with her own for several moments, the seconds stretched long by the tension. It was Coco who blinked first and with a frustrated sigh nodded her agreement which caused Jaune to give a small smile of thanks. The few brief moments of silence silence that followed felt longer that they were before Emerald broke it with a meek question.

"Sooo... Clothes shopping a good topic to talk about? I wouldn't mind some help since I don't really have an idea of what is in fashion these days." Her attempt at levity was met by mixed levels of amusement before Jaune handed Emerald a new scroll and made his excuses as for why he couldn't tag along earning a grumble from his wife as she would have to carry her own bags.

As the group of huntresses began to head away from the courthouse towards the shopping district Emerald noticed Jaune taking off his gauntlets before gently placing a hand gently on Coco's shoulder to hold her back. He saw Emerald and the others stop to look at him as well as the questioning look on Coco's face and smiled gently to them all. "Don't worry guys, I just need to talk to Coco about a few hunters guild things before I let her go."

"Go ahead guys, it shouldn't take too long, I'll catch up in a bit after I finish with vomit-man here." Coco gave a smiled and shooed the group onward before turning to Jaune and dropping the smile as the group moved out of ear shot. "OK big guy, what do you REALLY want to talk about. Going to say you will make me pay if I don't get along with your new little jailbird friend?"

Coco winced as the hand Jaune had on her shoulder tightened as he looked into Coco's eyes and the steel that was in his gaze caused her own to widen. "Actually it was about THAT and the Harpy comment you made earlier. Now I will give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that you aren't aware of some of words that are quickly becoming derogatory to we Shaded. Harpy happens to be one of the more offensive towards Shaded women with avian traits."

Coco gulped as she watched the whites of Jaune's eyes clouded to orbs of obsidian and his ocean blue irises turn to a dull glowing red. "However, given your close and long friendship with Velvet and several other Faunus I would think you would be more than aware of just how belittling and demeaning your 'pet' names can be when they are said in _malice_. You may not have meant them to convey a specieist meaning but as a Shaded that has been on the receiving end of such insults that is a hard thing NOT to see. I don't care that you have cause to attack Emerald personally but when people see a HUNTRESS throw insulting terms at a Shaded woman it only serves to enforce the belief that it is safe and acceptable for them to follow suit. I will let it go this time Coco, but if I ever hear you using such a tone or words with Emerald or any Shaded, friend or not we will be having more than just words. Do I make myself clear?"

Coco could only nod mutely as she was fixed in place by Jaune's stare. She had known Jaune had it in him to be intimidating but this was a side she had never seen and would be more than happy to avoid seeing ever again. Jaune released his grip on Coco's shoulder as his eyes returned to their normal coloration and gave her a curt nod in return.

It was several minutes before Coco caught up with the rest of her friends and she still was still a little shaken by her encounter with an angry Jaune. It didn't take Pyrrha long to see her friend's state and left Velvet and Emerald to bond over the shared annoyance of finding apparel to wear with appendages that stuck out from their bodies in a human dominated world.

"Coco are you alright? I had figured Jaune had held you back to talk about the names that you called Emerald but if this is how shaken up you are I think he might have went a little too far." Pyrrha said while placing a comforting hand on her friends shoulder which cause Coco to jump slightly.

"Y-yeah, he gave me the details about my little unintended specieism against your friend. Just remind me never to get on his bad side again, he is _terrifying_ when his eyes go all Grimm." This last statement caused Pyrrha to gasp gently.

"He let his Grimm side show?! Oh I will be having words with him when we get home. Your tone and intended meaning with those remakes aside he didn't have to go that far! I apologize for my husband's action's Coco he tends to get extremely defensive about how people treat us." Pyrrha's face fell as she became somewhat lost in thought.

Coco saw Pyrrha's look and recognized it, Velvet used to wear it all the time at Beacon. It was one that told of constant harassment and the toll it took on a person."It really is that bad for your species, isn't it?" Now that Coco sourced just what had made Jaune so volatile she began to notice the signs as they walked.

People gave the group a wide berth, the packed crowd separating in front of them like a bow wave. The looks that many shot at Pyrrha and Emerald we filled with fear, disgust and hatred. It then clicked that not only could Pyrrha and Emerald SEE these looks and subtle actions but could literally FEEL the emotions that must be coming from the crowd. Pyrrha nodded gently as she read the realization that crossed Coco's face.

"It really is Coco, more than you could possibly understand as a human. It's one of the reason's our species tends to be rather reclusive and insular."

Coco looked at the Emerald and Velvet and saw the concern on Velvet's face. The Rabbit Faunus had most likely heard the conversation and also saw the hurt in Emerald's eyes as well. Coco sighed and shook her head at her own actions. She may not like Emerald but Jaune was right, using her new species as a point of attack was out of line. Just how many times had she had to come to Velvet's defensive while they were at Beacon from such actions?

"Now I feel like a hypocrite and an ass, terrific..." Coco hung her head as she wiped her hand down her face in frustration. "I'll make it a point not say anything that might come across offensive but I'm not gonna say we can be friends."

"I don't expect us to become BFFs or anything Coco, not after some of the stuff I've done." Coco winced physically as she realized that Emerald had over heard her last statement and looked to see Emerald's slightly turned head look at her with he left eyes and small smile on her face. "I will settle for 'not going to murder me in my sleep for vengeance'."

Coco raised an eyebrow as she looked at Emerald questioningly with a ghost of a smile hovering at the corners of her mouth. "Do I really come across as the murder you in your sleep type? If I am going to kill you for vengeance I guarantee that you will be awake, you will armed and you will be facing me."

Emerald nodded and gave a thumbs up towards the fashionista. "Good to know, now I will give up the life of a fighter and never lift a weapon again." Her comment caused both Velvet and Pyrrha to snicker gently and earned a annoyed look from Coco causing Emerald to hold up her hands in a placating manner. "OK, still to early in the 'relationship' for jokes I see. Well once I get a new set of weapons I wouldn't be opposed to a re-match, as long as you don't actively try to kill me."

"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves, we first need to get you some new clothing that we can then heavily modify." Pyrrha hurriedly said steering the conversation back into safer waters. "So Coco, It has been a while since I last went shopping in Vale. Do you know any places that won't break the bank but have a good selection?"

Coco tapped her finger against her chin in thought before nodding. "Yeah, I think I know of a few. Used to visit them a lot when I was still in Beacon and didn't have the income for the higher end stuff. Still stop buy the places every now again, choices are pretty good for the price range."

"Splendid to hear, lead the way Coco." Pyrrha smiled and motioned for her friend to take the lead. Coco nodded as she picked up her pace slightly, pulling up even with Emerald and Velvet. The rabbit eared woman did place herself between the to as a bit of a buffer, and kept the conversation light by focusing on the more mundane topics as the grouped traveled.

Thankfully for the two Shaded women the walk didn't take all that long though the two were both somewhat uncomfortable from the negative emotions their very presence generated. The store was located in a closed plaza that housed other clothing and attire stores as well as several cafes and miscellaneous store fronts. The crowd that filled the was as mixed as any other shopping hub in Vale but due to a few of the clothing stores pandering to Hunter's in their selection of apparel there was noticeable number of hunters and hunters-in-training in the mix, some even in the Beacon uniform.

Velvet couldn't help but notice that many of the hunters-in-train were looking at Pyrrha and Emerald like they would a Beowulf, some even absentmindedly reaching for non-existent weapons. She shook her head gently and sighed at the site hating that her friends were treated like this."You would think a Goliath had lumber in the way some of them are acting..."

"It can't be helped really Velvet, the Shaded whose minds don't survive the transformation and mental assault of the Shade parasite end up as little more than half-feral barbarians and sadly they out number those of use who have survived." Pyrrha stated sadly as the group entered a shop named  
 _La chasseuse voilée_ with Coco in walking in as if it was her home.

In side a woman with ebony black hair done in side a elaborate weave sat behind the counter idly working on a archaic but functional loom. Oddly she wore a floor length wine red ball gown and a somewhat odd looking corset that none the less accented the dress perfectly as she worked. She was in coming into the twilight years of middle age but wore its signs gracefully and upon seeing Coco her gently lined face lit up like a candle.

"Coco? Oh Darling it has been far to long! I thought you had forsaken my establishment when you went off to Mistral to help with that awful terrorist group all that time ago." The aging woman rose from her work station and practically glided around the counter to embrace Coco, the pair exchange quick kisses to both cheeks.

"I would never abandon one of my favorite places or you Charlotte! Honestly I am hurt you would even conceive the idea." Coco feigned a hurt look that caused the older woman to laugh before giving her a playful shove.

It was then that Charlotte noticed the others as they stood several steps behind Coco. To both Pyrrha's and Emerald's surprise the woman's smile did not even falter as she looked the two Shaded in the eyes. "Oh you brought friends as well, and some rather stunning ones at that! Come dear, don't leave an old woman in the dark, introductions are in order I would think."

Coco smiled and pulled Velvet forward by the wrist before grasping her by the shoulders in front of her. "Well obviously you know this cutie right here, you did help us with our graduation dresses. As for these two ladies the red headed one is none other than my good friend Pyrrha Arkos and the one next to her is her friend Emerald Sustrai. Girls, this lovely woman her is Charlotte Webb, owner of _La chasseuse voilée_ and seamstress extrodinare."

Pyrrha gave a radiant smile and bowed politely in greet. "A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Webb, you have quite the shop here. Our friend Emerald here is in need of some new clothing and Coco recommended we stop here." Pyrrha motioned to Emerald who gave a small smile and a cheerful wave.

"Emerald Sustrai... I feel I've heard that name before, hmmm." Charlotte stated as she walked over to Emerald, examining her intently which caused Emerald to lean back slightly as a worried looked crossed the other faces.

"Wait! I remember now! You were the one that beat Coco and that hunky partner of hers! Weren't you with that vile woman that caused that whole disaster." Charlotte's statement but all the girls on edge and caused a look of dread to creep across Emerald's face.

"Um, well... kinda yeah." Emerald quite admitted and sighed, not even a few hours out of the clink and already people were noticing her despite her shift in species. "B-but I didn't really know what her plan was at the time and by the time I found out it was too late to stop. I turned against them and well, that is how I ended up like this..." Emerald extended her wings slightly and motioned to them.

Charlotte turned from her examination of the Shaded woman a looked to Coco who gave her a thumbs up and a small nod. Charlotte sighed and gave a small shrug. "Well if Coco hasn't turned you into a fine past with that handbag of hers and you are friends with the legendary Mrs. Arkos I suppose it means you are trustworthy. Your little story also tells me why you are in those ghastly state made street clothes."

"So you knew she was a released prisoner from when she came in then Charlotte?" Pyrrha asked curiously as Emerald sagged visibly finally being out of the seamstress's gaze. This relief was short lived as Charlotte grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the front counter.

Charlotte nodded as she looked over her shoulder at Pyrrha as she moved back around the counter, grabbing a measuring tape and notepad. "Well of course dear, I've had a lot of former White fang members in the shop after they've gotten out on parole so I see her kind of clothing in her quite a bit really."

"I had guessed you were a rather open minded individual when you didn't bat an eye at Pyrrha and I. I'm actually surprised to find a Faunus friendly, let alone a Shaded friendly, shop this close to downtown." Emerald smiled, gently as Charlotte got to taking her measurements.

Pyrrha nodded in agreement at Emerald's words as she slowly walked through the racks and shelves of clothing browsing. "I would have to agree with Emerald, most shops are hesitant to let Shaded even stand in front of their doors sad as it is. One would think that after the White Fang being turned into a terrorist group people would learn, but I've been to Faunus run shops that have turned me away..."

Charlotte gave a rather unladylike snort of disgust at hear that. "Those hypocrites, I remember what it was like to be treated like I was little more than an animal, I doubt I could forget even if I tried."

"Pyrrha peaked around a shirt she held up in her hands with a inquisitive look on her face. "I thought you might be a Faunus but I didn't want to appear rude. Might ask what your heritage is Mrs. Webb?"

Charlotte laughed gently as she finished measuring the base of Emerald's wings and moved to her waist, looking into the mirror of the fitting station at Pyrrha's reflection. "Please dear, not so formal, you and your friend here can call me Charlotte. As to my heritage I am proud to say I am a Spider Faunus."

At her statement Charlotte's 'corset' unwrapped itself from around her torso, extending into four charcoal black spider legs. Both Pyrrha and Emerald blinked in surprise but neither reacted past what a person might do when shown a hidden tattoo. "I honestly don't like wrapping them up like I do but if I kept them extended I would have to walk sideways all around my shop. And done with the measurements!"

Emerald nodded and hopped off the small raised platform but yelped as she was tugged sideways by Charlotte who had a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Now on to the fun part, come with me dear and let us see just what we can do with this lovely figure of yours" Both the Faunus and the Shaded disappear into the isles of clothing, the protests of the latter becoming more muffled the further in the two went.

As they watched the spectacle with amused grins on their faces the three remaining women continued to browse the selection the story had to offer. It wasn't long however until Velvet remembered a question that had been on her mind and the Rabbit Faunus made her way to Pyrrha who was thumbing through several leather belts.

"Pyrrha, since Emerald is occupied I just want to ask, have you told her about Praetoria yet?"

Pyrrha flinched visibly before sighing and shaking her head. "No, not yet. I really should, shouldn't?"

Velvet frowned and nodded. "It wouldn't be fair if the first time Emerald finds out about your daughter is when she gets tackled by one of her infamous flying surprise hugs. Honestly I don't know why you've kept it from her this long."

Pyrrha sighed and set the belts she had been looking at down before turning around and looking her friend in the eye. "Velvet, me and Jaune kept Praetoria a secret from Emerald because she was already going through so much already in her life. It would have made her time in prison that much harder. She would have told us to stop helping her and take spend the time with our daughter instead, even though we barely saw her once a month if at that. After her parole hearing was set and her defence we had planned on telling her but we didn't get the chance as a good time never seem to present itself."

Velvet sighed and shook her head before giving her Pyrrha a stern look which Pyrrha shrank away from with a guilty look on her face. "Well you should keep it hidden any longer. She is free and among friends, now is as good as you are going to get."

Pyrrha smiled and nodded but as she turned around to head back and tell Emerald a commotion arose from the dressing rooms and the Woman in question's voice echoed from the back.

"H-hey! watch where your are sticking those pins and stop grabbing my- GAH! personal space! PERSONAL SPACE!"

Velvet and Pyrrha shared a glance at each other before looking questionably at Coco who had a wide grin plastered on her face. "I might have neglected to mention that Charlotte can get a little handsy when she is helping fit your clothing. I guess it completely slipped my mind."

Velvet sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as the sounds of the scuffle continued to come from the dress. "Well, maybe it can wait a little longer. Maybe you can tell her after lunch and a nice, soothing cup of tea."

Pyrrha sighed and nodded in agreement before the trio headed back to help their friend from the grasp of the salacious seamstress.


	4. Chapter 4

And here is chapter four folks. I have to apologize for my random posting schedule as I find it a little hard to keep a set date down with my work schedule. Regardless I will always try and get a new chapter out once a week. On a Little side note this is my first time trying my hand at a fight scene so i would appreciate any feedback that you might have so that I can get better at it as my story goes on. Hope you are enjoying the ride so far and to those of you who have liked and followed I give you might heartfelt thanks, it does mean a lot to a writer to see their work appreciated.

As always I don't own any of these characters, they are all property of Rooster Teeth.

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A Re-Cut Gem

Chpt 4

Emerald had to admit that she felt much better after acquiring her new clothing. The outfit that Charlotte had thrown together for her was quite comfortable and even without modification suited her new body well. For a top she wore a white halter top trimmed in olive green while over this was a emerald green corset trimmed in bronze with a low back that stopped just below where he wings extended from her back. For pants she had chosen to stick with white Capri with with harden leather chaps over this held up by a double wrapped belt over which she wore a shash of white finishing the outfit.

In the several bags she carried had similar clothing and Charlotte had promised to send more shirts and upper body garments to her new home with Jaune and Pyrrha once the alterations for her wings had been made. Even if the holsters that rested in the small of her back were empty she felt more like herself than she had in years.

Still she would have preferred not to have been molested by the kooky seamstress or at least had been given a heads up by the still snickering beret wearing huntress she was currently staring daggers at. "I honestly feel like I should be pressing charges against that woman. Is this just your way of getting even for me beating you at the Vytal tournament all those years ago?"

"Oh that is definitely part of the reason Emerald, but think of it also as a bit of an initiation test to see if we might actually get along." Replied Coco as she lifted her sunglasses to her forehead to wipe away tears of mirth before lowering them back down. "You'll be pleased to know you passed with flying colors, the only one who gave a better reaction to Charlotte was Velvet."

Emerald turned to the Faunus woman who now sported a gentle blush and a look of embarrassment and frowned. "Here I thought we might actually be getting along Vel, I'm hurt you didn't warn me."

"I-I didn't warn you because I was going along with Coco, I didn't remember as I tend to try and repress the memories of when I first met Charlotte!" Velvet said in defense earning a look of apology from Emerald as she nodded in understanding.

Pyrrha giggled as she watched the three interact, glad to see that Coco was at least warming up to Emerald while Velvet seemed to genuinely be getting along with the avian Shaded. She interrupted the three woman by clearing her throat which cause four pairs of eyes to train on her as she spoke. "Well I think that we should maybe take break for a late lunch. As much fun as shopping is, me and Emerald do need to start heading towards the airdocks soon to meet up with Juane to fly home."

"I can get behind that idea Pyrrha, shopping always leaves me peckish. Lead the way oh mighty spartan!" Coco said earning a laugh from both Emerald and Velvet as the quartet of huntresses headed to one of the several restaurants that dotted the plaza.

Pryyha picked at random and made for a close by restaurant that seems mostly empty and advertised a varity of dishes from each of the Kingdoms which meant there was a little of something for everyone. As the group approached the front door the Hostess at the outside pedestal looked up from her terminal before her eyes went wide fright at the sight of two Shaded women. Look of fright was then joined by one of awe as she recognized Pyrrha making for an odd combination of emotions of fear, awe, and anxiety emit from her body to those able to sense such things.

Pyrrha gave a forced smile as she tried to ignore the emotions she sensed as she reached the hostess."A table for four please."

"Outside on the patio if possible." Chimed in Emerald from Pyrrha's side. "I've been inside enough to last a life time and wouldn't mind the fresh air."

Coco smirked at Emerald's comment as the hostess did her best impression of a bobble-head while trying to keep a semblance of composure over her star-struck and nervous emotions. "O-of course! We have a table ready right now! I-I must say it is an honor to meet you Miss Nikos! I will make sure we give you the best service we can. It's the least we can do for someone who stopped the Kingdoms from tearing each other apart."

The forced smile on Pyrrha's face only became more strained at the hostess words and her friends frowned at the hurt they saw in her eyes as she responded. "Nikos is my maiden name, my married is Arkos and I cannot take all the credit. If it were not for my friends and their efforts I would have been a pawn for the terrorist and things would have gone very differently." Pyrrha had few chinks in her armor and the words had found the biggest one.

As the hostess hurriedly showed them to their table Emerald placed a hand gently on Pyrrha's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. Emerald knew just how much Pyrrha loathed being singled out, an occurrence that had only gotten worse after her miraculous return from the dead as the first Shaded. The public now both praised and pitied the spartan in equal measure viewing her much like a masterpiece of art that had been vandalized and then restored. They praised the piece as still a work of art but pitied it as its perfection was marred forever.

"People really need to know when to keep their mouths shut." Coco grumbled as she opened the menu and scanned the contents. Her comment earned a nod from Velvet and Emerald as the latter still quietly comforted her friend.

The group remained quiet for several minutes, allowing the equally starstruck and terrified waitress to take their orders and deliver their drinks before they began to chat again. They talked about current events and what they and the rest of their group of friends and comrades-in-arms were up to, doing their best to ignore the looks they received.

It was several minutes after their meals arrived that Velvet took the lull in the conversation to broach the subject that she and Pyrrha had discussed. "Speaking of what our friends have been up too, there is something that Pyrrha has been meaning to tell you Emerald. It's actually quite a bit jarring so try not to over react."

Coco looked up from her Minstrali salad with a quizzical look on her face as she chewed and swallowed before speaking. "What you talking about Vel? P-money here hasn't done anything major since..." Coco trailed off in her sentence before a light went of in her eyes." Oh! you're talking about Prea-"

Velvet quickly shoved a slice of bread into her friends mouth to cut her off, causing Emerald to quirk a set of eyebrows as her interest peaked. "Really Coco, this is something that Pyrrha needs to tell. It does concern Emerald in a way."

Emerald's other eyebrows rose to match the others as she turned her attention towards her anxious looking friend as she continued to work on her Vacuan curried beef dish. "OK, I'll bite. What dirty laundry do you need to air with me Pyr? Hopefully not knowledge of an world ending cult or something."

Pyrrha sighed and took a moment to collect herself before meeting Emerald's questioning gaze. "It might be a little shocking Em so please don't over react too badly and try to keep in mind that Jaune and I kept this from you as you already had so much going on at the time."

Emerald smirked before rolling her eyes and nodding. "Trust me, I doubt anything you can tell me will shock me. You and your dorky husband are so strait laced the only thing I could think of you guys keeping from me that would shock is you having a kid while I was in the slammer."

Emerald chuckled as she went to take another bite of her dish, missing the amused look that pasted between Velvet and Coco while Pyrrha flinched slightly before sighing and giving a small smile. "Well then I guess I should ask you to try and reign in your reaction. Her name is Praetoria and she is quite looking forward to finally meeting her 'Auntie Em'." Pyrrha smiled comfortingly and placed her hand gently on Emerald's knee.

Emerald froze with her fork half way to her mouth, her left side pair of eyes widening as they fixed on Pyrrha's face as the avian Shaded turned her head to bring her other pair of red eyes to bare with her mouth still agape, waiting for the food that had now slid off the fork and onto the table.

*click*

"Aaand there is the money shot folks, oh this is going in the memory album for sure!" Coco cackled as she reviewed the pictures she had just taken, earning murderous glares from both Pyrrha and Coco.

"Wha?" was all that Emerald could manage after several moments of silently working her mouth. Smoke practically poured from her ears as her mind ground to a halt as it tried to process the implications of Pyrrha's words. Velvet gently forced Emerald to lower her fork back to the table as Pyrrha gave her a look of apology.

"We didn't plan on having her when we did but when we found out I was pregnant we couldn't even think about not having her. We kept Praetoria a secret from you as you would just push our wanting to help you away to take care of her. It was not like we neglected her by taking a day or two to come see you once a month and to help you with your parole."

Emerald finally broke eye contact from Pyrrha before looking down at her meal as if it held the secrets of life. Her voice was barely audible when she finally found her voice again."H-how long ago was this?"

"I found out I was carrying her several months after the battle at Salem's palace." Pyrrha stated as she hesitantly scooted her chair closer to Emerald, afraid her friend would push her away. To her relief Emerald didn't but only so that she would be in range of the bread stick Emerald had slipped from the tablet.

Emerald brought her culinary weapon down in a blur of movement, the bread stick making an audible *thwack* as it was broken over her friend's head, causing chunks of it to get lodged in her hair and a sizable piece to get impaled on one of her horns. "YOU HAD A BABY AND DIDN'T TELL ME!? Whatever happened to "We will never lie to you Em, it was secrets that got us here" speech that you gave me when I turned myself in?!"

Emerald groaned and let her head fall to the table with enough force to make several of the dishes bounce slightly before holding up her hand. "Waiter!"

The now startled waitress that had been watching the outburst along with several other tables scurried over and forced a smile. "Y-yes? How can I help you miss."

"I need something stiff, I have a feeling this is going to be a loooong night now that I know my friend has a kid." Emerald didn't lift her head up from the table as the waitress nodded and hurried away to get her drink. after a minute Emerald picked her head up off the table and fixed Pyrrha with glare. "you better not have gotten me out of jail just to be her nanny! And did you really had to get her calling me 'Auntie Em'? It sounds like I'm supposed to be some old hag on a farm in the middle of nowhere!"

Pyrrha visibly relaxed as while there was still anger in Emerald's voice there was levity in her eyes as well. The red head chuckled gently as she began picking the pieces of bread from her hair as she motioned to Coco and Velvet that everything was fine. "We didn't mean for it happen it is just hard to teach a toddler how to pronounce Aunt Emerald."

"So you didn't keep me a secret from your little squirt hm? I feel like you just might like her more than me." Emerald joked lightly though there was still traces of annoyance in her voice. By then the waitress had come back with a drink in hand which she accepted gratefully before taking a sip and sighing.

"So you two got married around the same time I turned 22 which was 5 months after I turned myself in and the end of the battle so you and Jaune did the deed sometime before or after your wedding as I also recall you not coming by on your visits for a while, just Jaune." Emerald swirled her drink gently as she talked, watching Pyrrha blush and nod at her words. "Let me guess, she is a wedding night baby, right?"

Pyrrha's blush deepened forcing her to cover her face and nodded while Coco and Velvet covered their laughs, poorly, by faking coughing fits. Pyrrha jumped slightly as she felt an arm being slung around her shoulder and looked up to see Emerald's gentle smile. "Relax Pyr, there are way worse times to make a baby, nothing to be ashamed about. So Praetoria is what, five or so right now?"

Pyrrha smiled and nodded pulling out her scroll to show Emerald a picture of her daughter who was sitting on Jaune's shoulders. The small girl was the spitting image of her mother except for having Jaune's smile and his ocean blue eyes. Her hair was her mother's crimson red but with streaks of white that had been pulled into a pony tail just as Pyrrha wore hers. Praetoria's most noticeable features however were the two ebony black leathery wings with bone plating covering the limbs that stuck up behind her.

"She just turned 5 a few weeks ago and she is the world to Juane and I. As you can see she is a drake Shaded like me but her traits are more... pronounced than mine."

Emerald smiled and patted her friend on the back. "Well I have to say, you and Jaune do good work when making babies, she is pretty cute. Now seeing as I am going to meet little mini-you, mind filling me in on the five years I have missed so far?"

Pyrrha nodded as the group once again began chatting happily amoungst themselves. Pyrrha was more than happy to share stories about her daughter, family and friends and Emerald enjoyed seeing the joy on Pyrrha's face as she talked. Pyrrha had been though so much Emerald was glad to finally see her friend somewhere in life that truly brought her happiness.

The afternoon moved on as the group continued to chat but as the four huntresses were finishing dessert familiar movements in the crowded square began to draw Emerald's attention further and further from the conversation. At first she had thought she was just imagining things but the more she studied the crowd the more certain she became.

By the time she had confirmed her suspicions the others had stopped chatting and were looking questioningly at Emerald.

Coco broke the silence by snapping a few times to get the the avian Shaded's attention. "So Emerald, do you have something that you would like to share with the rest of the class?" Coco asked looking over her sunglasses.

"Well, yes actually." Emerald stated as she tried to look as engrossed with the others as possible, the only clue to her attention being elsewhere was her secondary right eye gazing around the plaza. "but don't just blatantly look for what I'm about to tell you and try to look as natural as you can while we talk."

Emerald's statement caused the other three woman to give each other puzzled looks before turning back to Emerald with the same looks.

"What are you talking about Emerald? Why do we need to act like we aren't doing anything when we aren't doing anything?" Velvet asked while scratching her head gently.

Coco nodded in agreement. "I'm with Bunbun here, why do we have to act like we are being watched?"

Emerald sighed a gritted her teeth gently in a mocking smile. "Because we ARE being watched. There is a ring of pickpockets fleecing the sheep as we speak and the way their two lookouts keep glancing at us they have flagged us as a potential threat."

"Wait there is a crime going on as we speak and you didn't tell us right away!?" Coco shouted which caused Emerald to groan. She turned to watch as out in the crowd two men texted hurriedly into their scrolls and moments later several other figures began to rush from the plaza in separate directions.

"Because that's why you shop-a-halic! Great now they have split up and will be that much harder to catch. OK gang, time to split up and look for cut-purses." Emerald snapped before turning to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha do you think you can track them on the ground by their emotions?"

Pyrrha nodded with a grim smile. "I can, I think I got a good look at the few that went south as well."

"Lovely, you take Vel as you and her are the fastest on foot and go after them. Me and sunglasses her will go after the group that bolted north." stated before Coco held up a questioning hand.

"Not to stall or anything but shouldn't Vel go with you if you are able to track and need someone fast on the ground?"

Emerald smirked at Coco's question before unfolding her wings from her back. "We'll we don't need someone fast on the ground with me around do we?" With a gentle hop and flap of her wings Emerald jumped onto Coco's shoulders before firmly gripping her in her talons. "Hope you aren't bad with heights Coco, just hold on tight."

Emerald channeled aura into her wings and muscles, ignoring Coco's protests as she launched herself into the air with a screaming Coco in her grasp. In moments the pair were several stories up as Emerald banked sharply to head after the northern group before they could get lost in the back allies of Vale.

Emerald gritted her teeth gently as she continued to focus aura into her wings and muscles, it was already taxing to fly any great distances by herself while relying on just flapping her wings. With Coco in tow she was starting to regret her decision. "Geez Coco, no offense but you are WAY heavier than you look. Think I might have overestimated how much I can carry."

Coco shot a venomous glare up at Emerald as she gripped the Shaded's ankles for dear life. "Are you calling me fat Sustrai!? I would kick your ass so badly if we weren't seven stories up!"

"Oh pipe down! I didn't call you fat I said you were heavier that you looked. I DO have a maximum carry limit you know!" Emerald shot back as she scanned the alleys for their targets. It didn't take long for her to spot the group of four pickpockets who had slowed to a jog.

"A-ha! found 'em! OK Coco I'm sure you can deal with the two in the back and I will deal with the two in the front. You do have a good landing strategy right? Awesome! bombs away!"

"What?! oh you Biiiiiitch!" Coco barely had time to look at Emerald in surprise before the felt the bottom of her stomach drop out as Emerald released her grip. The fashionista tumbled momentarily as she fell before righting herself and angled herself at a fire escape. The angle was shallow enough that she was able to bounce off with a hop while keeping her forward momentum.

Coco repeated the maneuver until she was only a story up and just catching up with her two targets. With a final jump and a grunt of effort Coco launched herself feet first at the two punks back and slammed into them hard enough that she was thankful to see their aura's flare visibly. As her two opponents were driven face first into the concrete Coco tucked into a roll before popping back up onto her feet to see Emerald enter into a steep dive towards the other pair of thugs.

"Oh I loath her right now..." Coco snarled as she turned back towards the two thugs who were just picking themselves up from the ground and pulling out collapsible stun batons that crackled to life. She smirked before slamming her fist into an open palm.

"OK boys, I just got dropped several stories at speed by a woman I particularly can't say I like right now. Sadly I promised some mutual friends we have I would play nice with her. Since I can't pound her into a fine feathered paste guess who gets to be her proxy?"

The look of sheer malice that radiated from Coco's eyes as she advanced pinned the two thugs in their place. They shared brief glances with each other as they began to doubt the wisdom of standing to fight before Coco launched herself at them. what followed was not a fight but a brutal use of excess force as Coco did her best to turn their faces into non-euclidean geometry.

After dropping Coco with more than a little satisfaction Emerald focused on her own targets. Free of Coco's extra mass Emerald tucked her wings in closer to her body and dropped into a dive. With the wind whistling in her ears she keep her eyes locked on the thug on the left, crossing her arms in front of her face and bracing for the impact.

The first inkling that the thug had of his approaching assailant was the impact that launched him down the alleyway with a yelp. The thug's comrade screeched to a halt as he watch his friend fly forwards and a winged woman swoop into view. The hapless man meanwhile skipped several times of the concrete before being halted by a dumpster into a crumpled heap.

Emerald grunted at the impacted but flared her wings to halt what momentum she had left before landing to watch her handy work. She gave a content smile at the out come before muttering to herself. "Well that is one down-"

The sound of a stun baton crackling to life caused her to turn around just in time to dodge out of the way. "And one to go. I don't suppose that you would consider surrendering and coming in peacefully? Not gonna lie, it has worked wonders for me."

The man snorted and settled down into a fighting stance as he began to slowly circle Emerald. "No way hell in hell am I going to listen to one of you new freak shows. Can't believe the hunters are desperate enough to actually allow a thing like you to be one."

Emerald fell into her own stance as her face darkened at the man's words. "I will make you eat those words and then we'll see if you can say them through a wired jaw."

With a snarling shout the thug swung at Emerald who skipped out of the way of the crackling baton's path before darting into the man's guard and delivering a powerful right jab that sent him stumbling back. Emerald began to follow but cried in pain as the return swing of the baton caught her in the shoulder.

Emerald held her shoulder and winced as her mechanical arm twitched uncontrollably from the shock. She glared at her opponent before darting back in, ducking another viscous swing but caught the following off handed punch to the side before delivering a shot to his sternum.

Emerald grimaced as she eyed the electrical weapon, being at a distinct disadvantage with a weapon of her own. as the thug surged forward once more in a telegraphed over hand swing Emerald decided to deal with it directly. She met his charge and caught the man's swing at the wrist, her fingers clamping close as she savagely twisted.

Her opponent screamed as his wrist was broken with and audible pop and the weapon dropped from the his now useless hand. The thug continued to howl in pain as he was shoved back and Emerald clicked her tongue as she watched the man cradled his wrist. "Oh suck it up, I've been through worse." Emerald smirked and held up her hands as the man glared hatred at her which she could feel roll off him.

"You freak! are you getting your jollies from this?!" He lunged forward, grabbing for the baton and only noticed the blur of Emerald's sweeping kick a moment before is caught him in the should of his good arm. Emerald's smirk had faded to a grimace as she watched the man stagger heavily, his wrist cracking against a dumpster, sending him howling again and crumpling to his knees.

"No, just getting some pent up aggression out. Been in the slammer for a while and have miss way too much, including the birth of my niece so I am more than a little testy." Emerald said offhandedly as she kicked the inert baton away from his reach. "Now are you going to stop and give up our are we going to keep playing 'guess which bone I break next'?"

The man had pulled himself up from the ground by now and turned when he heard footsteps coming from down the alley to see Coco dragging his two comrades over by their collars. Stuck between the two hunters he held up his one good hand in surrender.

Coco eyed the man's broken wrist and quirked an eyebrow at Emerald. "A little bit rough their Sustrai. Given the military grade stun batons these jokers had I think we can over look a broken bone or two. Oh, looks like you got a runner there. Better hurry and chase him down or he could get away."

Coco nodded her head, indicating for Emerald to look behind her to see the thug she had rammed up and groggily stumbling away with a clearly broken nose. Emerald sighed and unfold her right wing before gripping several feathers. With practiced flicks her wrist she sent the needle sharp projectiles down range, pinning the man's sleeve to the brick wall he was leaning against for support.

Emerald turned to Coco and smirked to see a look of wide eyed surprise. "Mind watching lefty here while I go collect him?" Coco nodded silently as Emerald smiled and jogged over to the feebly struggling man. After ripping his sleeve to free him of her feathers she took a moment to remove his belt and secure his arms behind him before leading him back.

The pair of huntresses spent several minutes walking their captives back down the alley way towards the plaza in silence before Coco voiced her question."you have razor quills just like a nevermore?"

Emerald rolled her eyes, a rather noticeable gesture for one with two sets. "Um, yeah. I mean it IS what I am, or at least part of what I am. Did it really shock you that much?"

Coco shook her head quick."Well a little but what I'm getting at is you have a basically an infinite number of daggers on your at all times?"

Emerald chuckled and smiled gently as she placed a hand to stead the thug that might have a concussion. "Well not infinite, I have to let them grow back or else I would look like a plucked chicken." She looked forward as they turned a corner, noticing the flashing of red and blue coming from the square and the silhouette of a certain rabbit Faunus against the lights.

"not the point! you could have started a Shiv black market while you were in prison!"Coco exclaimed as she continued her train of thought while the shouts of men in the distance went ignored.

Emerald shrugged and gave a matter-of-fact look to Coco as several Officers approached."The thought had crossed my mind but how many other prisoners have Grimm wings? 'sides they dissipate after a few hours like regular Nevermore feathers."

Coco nodded and after thinking a moment but continued to look at the Shaded Avian."Fair point, but you were still armed and dangerous at all times. You could have tried to hold a guard hostage and escaped!"

Emerald shot Coco a annoyed glare but held off talking as the several officers came to take custody of the pickpockets. It was only after handing over the criminals that Emerald set her gaze back on Coco, folding her arms across her chest.

"I doubt that would have worked and furthermore I would have wasted all the work Jaune and Pyrrha have done getting me this chance. I know you don't think highly of me and that is fine, but know that I owe those two a life debt at this point as well as Ruby. I promised them I would go strait and I intend to keep that promise. I know you will likely never trust me but trust in them and their faith in me as I will NEVER betray that trust and faith."


	5. Chapter 5

**Well another week another chapter of my little fanfic and I have to say it is one of my favorites particularly the ending but that is just me. Hopefully you all will also enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it. Again to all of you who have liked and follow this story you have my deepest thanks. As always comments and reviews are welcome and I will see you all next week.**

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A Re-cut gem

Chpt 5

Emerald had hoped that the booking of criminals would had been a faster and easier affair being on the right side of the law. Unfortunately she found out the process was just as bad, if not worse, than her own experiences on the wrong side of it. Taking of statements, handing over of seize stolen material, reading of rights and a slew of other time consuming and , in her humble opinion, giant wastes of time.

It was late into the afternoon before the four huntresses were finally able to leave the station and be on their separate ways. Coco and Velvet had a meeting with the other former members of team CVFY that they were late for and bid their friends goodbye as they rushed out leaving Pyrrha and Emerald to find a way to get to the airdocks. To say that hailing a cab was nigh impossible when you were a Shaded would be putting things mildly. It was nearly a half hour of walking and waving before the two found a cab driver with a mind not filled with fear for their race and another hour before the two were dropped off and the cab driver earned a tip large enough for him to call it an early night.

"I honestly can say that my opinion of humans is at an all time low after today..." Emerald sighed as she and Pyrrha walked through the terminals, arms loaded with several bags of clothing and other goods that Emerald needed.

Pyrrha nodded sadly as she saw, and felt, more people look at the pair. The waves of unease that where now a constant background noise to her, and any other Shaded, that wandered a crowded location. "It has been a rather eye opening experience becoming a different specie. I can easily see why many Faunus thought that the White Fangs terrorist acts were a necessary evil."

Emerald gave a humorless laugh as the pair rounded a corner and headed towards the personal craft docks. "I think I have enough hate and fear floating around me while in a city, thank you very much. Those blockheads that were in the Fang can't even begin to realize how nice it is NOT to be able to sense emotions. If they could I doubt they would have started their little antics, not that it did them anything good in the long run. I have to ask Pyr, why are we headed toward the personal craft docks?"

Pyrrha smiled as they pushed through several pairs of double doors and out on the the landing pads and headed towards those designated for the use of hunters and other quick reaction forces. A new idea that stemmed from the sluggish response times of hunters and other forces suffered due to crowded airdocks and people in personal craft only making things worse. "Well after Jaune and I... changed, we found it extremely uncomfortable to take public craft which only got worse after the crisis was stopped." Pyrrha's smiled dipped at the memories and Emerald prodded her playfully with a wingtip to keep her from letting her fall into those memories before she continued.

"Even with _her_ and Cinder dead there was still more than enough work around Remnant to keep hunters busy for the next generation. Seeing as we needed to be able to get to these destinations and also had more than enough friends we decide to get a personal airship." Pyrrha finished her statement by pointing towards a large airship.

The craft was roughly 3 times the size of the now aging bullhead pattern transport and much more angular in its design. It had the bulk of a craft meant for extended trips in the rugged wild lands outside the kingdoms. The cockpit jutted out from a wide body that doubled as wings and tapered off to a sleek tail that had slip in half to create the boarding ramp. connected to the body and short tail wings of the craft were four blocky and powerful looking engines that completed the look that this airship was built with utility in mind rather that style.

Emerald let a slow whistle as the walked up the ramp, taking in the sight as they entered. "I don't even know how much lien you two must have sunk into this thing. it looks like it was built for the military." Emerald looked up the craft seeing several bunks and a ablations unit situated behind the cockpit and before the main seating area.

"Actually it was"

Emerald's head whipped around as her eyes nearly bulged from her skull at the response. Pyrrha gave a shrug and a sheepish look as she explained. "when he heard me and Jaune where looking for a personal airship, General Ironwood personally contacted us and offered this to us as 'a belated wedding present'." Pyrrha sighed and shook her head as she dropped her bags into a empty crash seat before putting a hand to her forehead and stroking the base of her horns.

"We just wanted a craft that would get us around but he convinced Jaune that this would be better since Jaune and I often lead large groups of hunters on missions. It has come in hand but Jaune agrees that something a little less "menacing" was in order for out day to day use. Before you ask, THAT one is being repaired after a certain hammer wielding huntress got tipsy at Praetoria's birthday and took a bet from Yang she couldn't do a loop de loop."

Emerald cringed at the thought before shaking her head. "That can not have ended well or cheaply."

Pyrrha sighed and nodded as she motioned for Emerald to follow her into the front. "Lets just say it is nice to have a generous multi-millionaire as a close friend. On the bright side the clearing it made is where the new guest house that you'll be staying in was built."

As the two entered the cockpit Pyrrha could only smile fondly at the sight that greeted them. In the pilot seat with the latest X-ray and Vav comic perched on his face was a napping Jaune. With each gentle snore the pages of the comic rattled and lifted, briefly showing his face before it settled back down.

"Yup, that there is definitely a keeper Pyrrha. How you got to him before the throngs of other woman chasing after him I will never know." Emerald sighed and shook her head at the sight while Pyrrha only nodded before lifting the comic off her husbands face and giving him an affectionate peck on the lips before gently shaking him.

Jaune woke with a gentle start and blinked several times times before a warm smile grew on his face. "I will never get tired of waking up to your beautiful face Pyr." Emerald gave a playful retching noise which earned a shove from Pyrrha and a middle finger from Jaune who returned his attention to his wife. "I got your message about having a run in with some pickpockets, hopefully everything got resolved?"

Emerald nodded as she took a seat in one of the secondary seats in the cockpit, a radio and comms station at a glance. Surprisingly, even with her wings folded closed against her back the seat was quite comfortable. "Yeah, everything went as well as to be expected. Bit of a experience seeing things from the 'good guy' view point." Emerald motioned air quotations as she spoke and chuckled. "Some of the cops actually recognized me, I wish I'd taken pictures."

"I can only imagine." Jaune smirked as he stretched before settling headphones over his ears and started warming the airship up. "Well your little good deed for the day did delay us a bit so we won't reach Patch before sundown. I already called ahead to Violet and Izzy we would be late but we should make it back for dinner."

Emerald eyed Jaune questioningly as he continued to bring the airship on-line while Pyrrha sat down in the co-pilots seat. "So vomit-man, are you really going to be flying us home or will it be safer for me to wing it?" If it was one thing that Emerald remembered about the knight, it was the stories of his true nemesis: airsickness.

Jaune smiled and held up a finger as he talked into the mike of his headset with the flight tower, confirming that when they would be clear for take-off before muting himself and looking to Emerald. "Well there are a few silver linings about having your body modified into a completely new species and being built to be a living weapon. One of them happens to be free of such a petty thing as motion sickness."

Emerald felt her stomach shift as the airship lifted off, the howl of its four engines muffled but audible even through the hull of the craft. "Yeah, it does have some benefits. I have perfect eye site and way better field of view. The cost is still pretty damn steep and I don't think many would be willing to pay." The trio went silent for several moments as the Emerald's comment and the press of the ship's acceleration stopped the conversation flat.

It was several minutes before Emerald decided to speak again, hopefully lifting thoughts form painful memories. "You said you called Violet and Izzy earlier, are they friends of yours I haven't meet before? I assumed someone was watching Praetoria but I've never heard of those two."

"They're my sisters..." Jaune stated in a quiet tone that confused Emerald. "They had business in Vale and volunteered to watch Praetoria while we got things finished with you."

Emerald noticed a hint of sadness in Jaune's eyes and Pyrrha wore an obvious frown. "I know you had family but you never really talked much about them. What are they like?"

"They are as loving and understanding a group of people you could ask to be your family." Jaune's tone was sad and Emerald immediately knew she had touched a sore spot. "I had my reasons for not talking about them, I'd rather not get into them Em."

Emerald could guess the reasons at the tone of his voice as well as from her personal experience and dropped the subject. It was an hour into the flight that the three began to talk about the safer subject of the current state of the world. Grimm activity was peaking again and it had not fallen back to normal levels from before the crisis to begin with. In response the academies had started taking in more students while trying to keep the standards and quality of huntsmen high.

It also explained why so many looked to the Shaded with such unease. They were seen as a symptom of the increase of Grimm as more people fell to the parasites that accompanied the oldest alphas. Many even directly blamed them for this increase, which caused hate to swell and for more Grimm to be created and drawn to the cities and towns. Such a obvious circle that no one seem to care enough to try and break.

It was another hour or so of idle chatting before the Island of Patch appeared on the horizon and a half hour more before details could be seen. Emerald was more than a little surprised to see a fair sized settlement on the mainland facing side of the Island, almost big enough to be considered a small city.

"Wait, what is all this? I though Patch was a sleepy little rural settlement on a mostly unused Island?" Emerald shot a questioning look at Pyrrha who shrugged gently as they pasted over the bustling settlement.

"Well it was before the fall of Beacon. After Beacon fell and a large chunk of Vale proper was destroyed, a lot of people fled the mainland and made their way to Patch. They set up a refugee camp that quickly became a settlement thanks to the natural defenses from where they landed. After the Crisis a lot of people stayed and now we have 'New Vale' on this side of the Island."

Jaune gave a grunt of annoyance. "Thanks to them Grimm attacks have quadrupled on the Island though thankfully that still isn't much. It does mean that there is always a sweep-n-clear job or two knocking around that is too dangerous for Signal students to handle so you won't be lacking for a job. Still we moved here to be away from the city and it apparently followed us. Thankfully the town of patch is still nice and quite on its own corner of the island where we live, a lot more accepting of Shaded as well."

As the trio talked Jaune began final descent for landing at the old airdocks at Patch. Right way it was clear that these docks didn't see much use as they used too. Many hangers and pads stood vacant and the terminal seems partially shut down.

"Well at least rent on a hanger must be cheap." Emerald quipped as Jaune guided the airship into its hanger. Jaune nodded in affirmation as the engines spooled down and with a sigh he rose from his seat. "A few people from New Vale keep their ships here so not as cheap as you'd expect but still better than at the New Vale airdocks."

After collecting their purchases and dumping them onto a grumbling Jaune the three hunters began the short walk out of the village and to the Arkos residence. The sun was just dipping below the horizon and the shattered moon starting its ascent into the sky by the time the group started up the path to a rather sizable home. It was built in a log cabin design but was three stories tall and quite broad but the gentle glow that came from the windows and the atmosphere of its setting still made the sizable residence feel homely.

"Damn! You guys must do well for yourselves to be able to afford a place like this. Do you really need a place this big with just the three of you?"

Pyrrha shook her head at Emerald's question before nodding towards her husband as they approached the front door. "With his family we do. Seven sisters and his parents, not to mention their families. Add that with all our friends who are hunters and travel the world with a perchance to drop by without notice and it is actually not enough usually. Why do you think we have a guest house?"

Emerald went to reply when she caught the motion of a window on the third floor opening and a figure jumping out. obsidian black wings unwrapped from around the individual's shoulders as they entered a steep dive towards the group. Emerald instinctively tackled Pyrrha to the ground and yelled a warning to Jaune. "DUCK!"

"DADDY!"

The figure shouted as they collided with the bag laden hunter, driving the wind out of him and sending bags and boxes flying as the two landed in a heap on the ground. Emerald picked her head up from the ground and looked over to her friend to see a young Shaded girl gripping him in a vice like hug as she nuzzled her head into Jaune's chest. Jaune just gave a pained smile as he patted the girl on the head gently. "Hey there Tori, I take it you missed me?"

"Praetoria Jean Arkos! What have I told you about jumping out windows and tackling people!?"

Emerald flinched at the authoritative tone that was coming from Pyrrha as she picked herself up from the ground. The look on the spartan's face and her posture could only be described as parentally stern as she marched over to the now cowering girl and picked her up off her father before setting her down and scolding her.

Emerald took the time to pick herself up from the ground and get a good look at her 'Niece'. Just like in the pictures that Pyrrha had shown her the little girl was the spitting image of Pyrrha save for her ocean blue eyes that looked suitably chastised. She was wearing jeans and hiking shoes, the former having stars and suns decals running up the right leg. Emerald couldn't see what shirt the girl was wearing as she had wrapped her obsidian black wings around her shoulders like a cloak, reminding Emerald of a bat at rest.

It didn't take long for Praetoria to notice Emerald staring at her and her expression changed from one of guilt to elation. Emerald barely had time to brace herself as the little girl darted at her and wrapped her arms around her legs in a hug. "Auntie Em! You're here! I've been waitin forever 'n ever to finally meet you!"

Emerald flinched at the contact but plastered a smile on her face before ruffling the girls hair, noting the small nubs of her horns that were just barely poking out of the crimson sea of hair. "N-nice to finally meet you as well squirt, I've heard so much about you."

Emerald cast a pleading look for help at Jaune and Pyrrha, the former still picking himself up from the ground while the latter had started gathering the scattered bags. It was at this time the front door that burst open and two tall blond women came rushing out. Emerald did a double-take at the first woman that stepped out the door, she was quite literally a female version of Jaune when he was human. She wore a blue and white hoody and had several belts looped around her waist holding up a pair of worn but well cared for jeans. In her hands were twin short swords and was in a fighter's stance as she looked towards Emerald who quickly threw up her hands in surrender.

The second appeared several years and was dressed in purple button down dress shirt with a gray vest over that and for pants wore gray slacks. She had all the hallmarks of being an Arc, Ocean blue eyes, gold blond hair done in a simple braid and carried Crocea Mors. Emerald would have laughed at her stance had she not had two swords held by a clearly trained huntress in her face.

"Who the hell are you and why do you have Praetoria!?" Barked the Female Jaune clone and Emerald tried to back away but found herself unable to move with the little girl still clinging to her legs. Said child was giggling a fit at the tense scene like it was a comedy act being preformed.

Jaune walked over to his clone and pushed the blades down with a gauntleted hand as he spoke."Ease up there Izzy, that happens to be our good friend Emerald and I would like it if she remained in the land of the living. Violet, please put Crocea Mors down before you hurt yourself, your're an accountant and it kinda shows."

Both woman blinked several times and gave the same sheepish look that Emerald had seen on Jaune's face several times since she meet him. Apparently it was a inherited facial expression. Jaune relieved Violet of his sword before snapping it to his belt and picking Praetoria up into his arms as Izzy sheathed her own blades.

"So not exactly how I planned on introducing you to the family Em but given how our own luck works it isn't the worst way." Jaune chuckled. "The lovely mature woman to the left is my elder sister Violet, oldest of the bunch, and to her right is my twin sister Elizabeth, though she prefers Lizzy."

"Oh, eh, nice to meet you I guess." Emerald smiled as she scratched the back of her head as the two woman mumbled their apologies and greetings.

"Well with that out of the way I will start on dinner. Feel like giving your old man a hand Tori?" Jaune smiled as his daughter nodded vigorously before heading inside followed closely by the four women.

Inside the house was just as homely and cozy as the outside with the layout making use of open spaces and a minimum of doors. Emerald could see down the main hallway to the back as Jaune pushed a set of saloon style swinging doors open into what was the kitchen as she was led by Violet to the family room off to the right of the house. Along the walls there were many generic paintings a photos but what dominated the wall above the couch was a blown up picture of Team JNPR and RWBY in their early twenties in front of a still being repaired Beacon while proudly showing their hunter's degrees and license.

Emerald was snapped out of her observations by Violet as the older woman spoke. "Again Miss Sustrai, I apologize for how me and my sister acted earlier. I've actually wanted to meet you for some time. I and the rest of the Arc family owe you a debt for helping get Jaune home and reuniting him with Pyrrha."

Emerald waved the incident from earlier away as she gave a smile to Violet. "Just Emerald will do, no need to get formal with a former thief and terrorist. I can't say you owe me anything, those two were as much of a ticket out of my situation as I was for their's. I just wished I could have stopped Jaune from becoming Shaded."

"Eh, shit happens. We couldn't care less that our bro became a new species or lost all of his memories of his family. What kind of family would we be if we couldn't overlook such minor details?" Lizzy said off-handedly as she flopped into a recliner before Pyrrha bopped her on the head.

"Lizzy! you know it is impolite to talk about the memories Shaded have lost! Honestly have some respect for our specie's developing culture! The one that should bring it up is Jaune, Emerald didn't know until you opened your mouth!" Pyrrha hissed while Emerald just blinked in stunned silence.

Since the awkward chat on the flight to Patch Emerald had her suspicions but it was still a shock to have them confirmed. She sat down on the couch and sighed before looking to Pyrrha. "I guess this would explain why he didn't mention have seven sisters or his family on your two's visits. You don't have to say anymore on the subject, if Jaune wants to bring it up he will. No doubt he heard us at any rate."

Lizzy groaned and planted a hand on her face. "I forgot about that goofs super hearing. I keep thinking of him as the lovably dense goof ball that you'd need to use a bullhorn to get him to listen..."

"Love you too sis!" Jaune's voice faintly echoed from the kitchen causing the rest of the women to burst into laughter, easing the tense mood.

Violet patted her sister gently on the should in comfort as she looked towards Emerald while perching on the arm of the recliner. "So just to make sure that there are few surprises left for the day, I just want to make sure you know that Lizzy here is also staying in the guest house with you. I hope Pyrrha and Jaune informed you of this on your flight over."

Emerald shook her head before giving Pyrrha a mild look of preturbance to which her friend shrugged. "They failed to mention a roommate in the arrangement but we did have a bit of a interesting day. I can let that slide as I'm not opposed to the idea, makes doing housework easier. Does that mean you aren't staying Violet?"

Violet nodded with and gave an apologetic smile. "Indeed, I was just out visiting for a few days as my company moved offices from Mistral to Vale. As much as I love staying with my niece the commute between Patch and Vale would be taxing at the best of times."

"So it will be just you and me Emmie, try not to bring strange men home without giving fair warning" Lizzy joked lightly as the a delicious smell wafted into the room from the kitchen. "Mm, smells like Jaune is cooking up something tasty, can't wait to see what."

The other three woman nodded in agreement as the pattering of feet echoed from the hallway as Praetoria sped around the corner. "Daddy says dinner is almost ready and we should sit down. It's s'getti and sauce with garlic bread an'a salad which I helped make!"

As the excited 5 year-old disappeared around the corner towards what Emerald could only assume was towards the dinning room the 4 women stood from their seats and followed Praetoria at a more sane pacing. As they turned the corner into the main hallway the three ran into Jaune who was carrying a large bowl of pasta that was covered in a thick and savory looking meat sauce.

"Hope you guys are hungry, might have made a little much but I didn't want the sauce to sit half-used in the pantry." Jaune smiled and motioned for the group to proceed. As the group filed pasted he turned slightly and tapped Pyrrha on the leg with his tail. "Actually I wasn't able to grab everything this run, would you mind getting the bottle we have been saving for today Pyr?"

Pyrrha's eyes brighten as a smile crossed her face. "Oh, I completely forgot about that! I would be delighted to Jaune, why don't you get everyone situated while I go get that. You already have the glasses I hope?" After Jaune nodded in the affirmative Pyrrha squeezed past Jaune and towards the kitchen.

The dinning room was just as homely feeling as the rest of the house and built to accommodate quite the gather with the long table dominating the center of the room was rough looking in design but carved with intricate motifs and scene along the edges. The chandeliers that hung evenly spaced along the room were set to a flicker, giving the warm glow and feel of candle light which only added to the warm atmosphere.

Emerald found herself dragged by her niece to a seat right next to Praetoria's who in turn sat on the right side one of the two chairs at the head of the table. Jaune snickered and patted her gently on the shoulder as he set the massive bowl of pasta in the middle of the group along side golden slices of garlic bread and a salad that looked like it had gone through a threshing machine. "New guests always get the seat of honor, unspoken rule of the Arkos household."

Jaune stopped long enough to help his daughter into her seat booster against the unheeded claims the young Shaded didn't need to help before taking a seat in the left seat at the head of the tablet. Violet sat to his left and was sipping at a glass of water while to her right Izzy eyed the Garlic bread like starving hound would a Juicy steak.

"Took a little longer than I thought to find it, sorry all." Emerald looked over her shoulder to see Pyrrha walk in carrying two bottles. One was a simple bottle of sparkling white grape juice that Pyrrha wasted no time uncapping and pouring into a champagne flute for Praetoria while Jaune took the other bottle and unwrapped the cork of foil and began working it from the neck of the bottle.

The label on the bottle was faded with age but still legible and what Emerald read nearly made her eyes bulge out of her head. "IS THAT A BOTTLE OF MT. GLENN BLANC DE BLANCS CHAMPAGNE!? Only one vintage of that was produced before mount Glenn was overrun!"

Jaune chuckled as he glanced at the now standing Emerald, her chair rocking back and forth from the force of her standing. With a satisfying _POP_ the cork finally jump from the neck of the bottle and Jaune set the bottle down to breath slightly. "You are correct, this is a bottle of that rare vintage. Vale thought it would be a good gift to me after I helped organize and led the assault that drove the Grimm that had been infesting Vale and Beacon. I didn't take you to be a champagne connoisseur Em."

Emerald watched as Jaune poured a wine vintage that was worth more that some mansions into several champagne flutes before passing them amongst those at the table. "I'm not, I once was approached to ste-er- acquire a bottle for a client from the Vale national treasures vaults. I turned it down as there was way too much security to get through." She accepted a glass from Jaune who had arched an eyebrow.

"Well that was in the past. As of today, you are officially one of the good guys." Jaune held up his own glass in a toast. "You can also consider yourself an official member of the family, just like the rest of our friends that we have fought along side. Emerald Sustrai, we may not be able to help you learn of the memories you lost saving Pyrrha and I but we will help you build new ones as your friends and family. Welcome home Emerald."

Emerald had to blink away tears as the rest of her gathered friends, her _family_ , echoed 'welcome home' before gently clinking their glasses to hers before sitting down to begin eating. Emerald had to admit that it all felt so... normal. Here she was, a former thief and terrorist sitting down to a family dinner with a niece she had only just met and the siblings of the man who had helped her escape her past mistakes like it was just a normal day's end. It was something that Emerald didn't want to stop feeling any time soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Soooo, been longer than usual with my update to my little fix and for that I apologize. Had a bit of a time with this particular chapter and a hint of writer's block so wasn't satisfied with the first draft. That being said I can't help but think I will be slowing down my releases as work and life in general have been taking a lot out of me lately, doesn't help I also am drawing up ideas for another fic I want to write but more on that later.**

 **For now, here is the latest chapter and as always Likes, Favorites, and reviews are always welcome.**

As always I don't own any rights to RWBY which belongs to Rooster teeth and the beloved and missed Monty Oum.

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A Re-Cut Gem

Chpt 6

A soft but insistent chiming filed the air as the first rays of the rising sun spilled into the room from its window. A low groan issued from the mass of tangled sheets and disheveled feathers as a metallic hand groped around the top of the side table. as soon as the metal fingers brushed the scroll they blindly began tapping and swiping at the screen until the chiming stop.

Emerald peeled the covers from her body and rolled of her stomach and into a sitting position before arching forward and unfolding her wings from her back and stretched them to their full span with a sigh. With several gentle flaps that caused the blinds of the window to rattle gently she shook her feathers more or less back into place before folding them against her back. She smiled gently as the unfamiliar room greeted her sight rather than the white washed walls of a prison cell.

A rush of energy filled her limbs, added, replacements and originals and with a hop her talons clacked gently onto the floor, gently scoring the wooden floors. She cursed under her breath in a obscure Vacuoin dialect that was one of the few things she recalled from her early years but continued on he way. Clad only in her underwear and a loose fitting camisole top that had been modified with a zipper up the back she opened the door of her room and peered out into the hallway. Satisfied that Lizzy was still asleep she made her way down the hall, stopping at the Linen closet and grabbed a towel before heading into the bathroom just opposite from it.

The bathroom was spacious in its layout with one wall being a massive vanity mirror under which was two sinks, one of which had bandages, make-up and other toiletries scattered around marking it as Lizzy's. Emerald smirked at the mess as she divested herself of what little clothing she had on. She tossed her shed clothing into a hamper nearly full of clothing before stepping into the shower stall.

Emerald twisted the knobs and was reward with a stream of ice cold water that caused her to flinch slightly but years spent in a prison had forced her to deal with cold water. As the water warmed she hummed in delight, running her hands through her hair as she worked the water in. She couldn't tell how long she spent in that blissful heaven of heated water cascading down her body and wings but enjoyed every moment of it. Only when scrubbing her back did she frown when she felt the scarring and the dully glowing eye of the dark god on her back, the point were the parasite had latched on and burrowed into her.

It was from that mark that all the faint red lines that adorned her body originated, the lines marking the flow of what foul material and power that had warped her into her current form. Emerald shook her head gently before slapping her cheeks. It never paid to dwell on the past so long as you remembered and learned from it. She twisted the knobs and the stream of water petered out as she slid the frosted glass door of the shower open. With several shakes she shed as much water from her feathers as she could before holding them partially open to air dry as she wiped herself down with the towel.

Sufficiently dried sher wrapped her hair in the towel before clutching a towel to her front. If there was one thing having wings did it was making it hard to keep your modesty after a shower. After again peeking her head out the bathroom door to see if the coast was clear Emerald dashed back to her room with a towel wrapped around her hips and another clutched to her chest.

After dressing, preforming her morning stretches and warm-ups Emerald opened the window to let the cold spring air and the gentle sounds of the waking forest drift in. She sat on the middle of the floor and crossed her legs, carefully curling her talons beneath her. After Emerald had positioned herself she lightly closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, letting her mind clear as she began to meditate.

It was a practiced she had started early in her time in prison to manage the Grimm urges and thoughts that were a constant presence in ever Shaded's mind. Each shaded handled it differently. Most just suppressed them as best they could, others drank themselves into oblivion when their Grimm nature reared itself and some indulged in their nature, drinking in the negative emotions they elicited, the effects not unlike a drug that gave them strength and fortitude at the cost of making them more aggressive and prone to lashing out violently at the slightest provocation.

Emerald had come to terms early on with what she was and accepted her Grimm nature. She kept a firm control on it, never allowing it to feed on the negative emotions but never trying to deny it. Even now she could feel the presence in the back of her mind, acknowledged but firmly held on a short leash. Content with her own dark emotions that she like any human was prone to have as it's source of sustenance.

Emerald continued her meditation for a half hour, content with herself and her more pronounced dual nature of dark and light. After rising from her position she headed downstairs for yet another crucial aspect of her morning, coffee. It was a few minutes into searching the cabinets and shelfs that Emerald heard the sluggish footfalls of her roommate trudge down the stairs. "Morning Lizzy, those several drinks coming back to haunt you yet?" Emerald asked tauntingly which only elicited a groan from Lizzy.

"I will end you and use whats left to stuff pillows. Coffee is in the cabinets over the microwave, make it strong enough to wake the dead please." Lizzy shuffled into a seat that lined the small island counter in the middle of the kitchen before resting her head on the counter.

Emerald chuckled as she fished out the Coffee grounds and shoveled several spoonfuls into the coffeepot. "Sure thing, want me to set out anything in particular?" Emerald turn to finally look at Lizzy and her eyes widened in surprised. Underneath a sleeveless shirt and pajama pants she could make out the outlines of bandages and gauss warps. "Oh, I didn't realize you where hurt. I hope it isn't serious?"

Lizzy held up a hand and gave a thumbs up. "Nothing serious anymore. I had a disagreement with a murder of nevermores and they poked a few holes in me. Wasn't my most pleasant hunt but I came back breathing so I chalk it up as successful. As for accessories to my coffee, I prefer it black with a spoonful of sugar."

Emerald winced slightly and sighed. "Sorry to hear, Nevermore quills are not a laughing matter. I take it that is why you are on down time with your family?" While talking she went to the fridge and pulled it open to very little in the way of actual food. Mostly take-out boxes and tubs of half eaten leftovers that obviously came from Jaune and Pyrrha's. "Well aren't we a self sufficient grown up, nothing but take out and leftovers. Oh look, this one even has mold..." Emerald shook her head before grabbing a plastic tuber ware container and threw it into the garbage next to the fridge.

Lizzy looked up from the count and shrugged apologetically. "Never was much of a cook, That was always Jaune-Jaune's department." she gave a small grunt and slipped from her stool and around the island counter to the half full coffee pot and pouring herself and Emerald a cup as the Shaded continued her unappetizing work with the contents of the fridge. "I know the basics but I really am never in one place long enough to actually bother buying groceries and making food. This is the first time I've ever been in one place for so long."

"Is it really getting that bad out beyond the Kingdoms?" Emerald finished a rough clearing of the fridge as she spoke before turning to the sink and washing her hand. "I guess I need to speed up getting back into fighting order then. I need to get Lil' red's scroll contact from Pyrrha so I can get a start on my weapons, might as well go mooch of them for breakfast seeing as most of what I could see in the fridge was gaining sentience." Emerald picked up her coffee and poured a dash of creamer and two spoons of sugar before sipping on it.

"Lil Red? Oh you mean Ruby, yeah not so little anymore. she is nearly as tall as Pyrrha." Lizzy stated. "Granted she still acts like a fifteen year old most of the time rather than someone nearly thirty."

Emerald smirked and shrugged. "Eh, she was basically a midget when I first met her and the image of her as Lil Red has stuck in my head since then."

Lizzy shook her head before finishing her own cup of Coffee and placing the mug into the sink. "I guess I would have had to meet her back then. Anyway lets head out for breakfast, Tori should be up and bouncing around by now so we should make it there just as Jaune is taking her off to per-school."

Emerald quirked an eyebrow as she watched Lizzy pull on her boots and begin to lace them up. "You are going to take a five minute walk in nothing but pajama pants and a tank top at eight in the miring in early Spring?"

"I'm a huntress, I've fought off beowolfs in nothing but my panties before so a little cold does nothing more that make the girls perk up a bit." Lizzy Stated cheerfully.

Emerald sighed as she placed her mug in the sink as she heard the front door swing open. She hurried after her new roommate who was waiting outside popping her lips to create puffs of frozen breaths in the air.

"You and Yang must be some sort of long lost relatives you two are so alike."

"Oh it was amazing when my brother meet me for the 'first' time. He just looked between Yang and I for like a minute before asking if the Xiao-Longs were distant relatives. We would've gotten as much mileage out of that had our parents not denied it right then." Lizzy sighed wistfully at the missed opportunity as the pair began the trek back to the main Arkos residence. "To be fair it would have been a dick move to play on my brother who had lost all memories of his family."

"Yeeeeah, just a little bit of a dick move on your part. Not exactly like he lost his memories by choice." Emerald gave Lizzy a pointed look to which Lizzy gave shrug in reply. "I have to say though, your brother seems to have taken it in stride. The way he acted around you and your sister I would never have guessed it."

Lizzy smiled gently and nodded. "Yeah, he has made strides but he still isn't the same Jaune that we knew..." Lizzy's smile faltered as her voice softened. "Don't get me wrong I still love him and would go to hell and back for him but it has been hard coming to terms that the brother I knew and the one I have now aren't really the same person."

Emerald nodded silently as Lizzy talked before putting a hand gently on her shoulder in a comforting manner. At least that was the intention but as her metallic hand touched bare flesh Lizzy gave a shreak and jumped forward several feet." GAAAH! What the hell was that for?! Gods your hands are giant blocks of ice! Don't they have internal heaters to keep it at body temperature?"

Emerald winced and rubbed the back of her head, noting Just how cold her hand was. "Eh-he, oops? My old arms didn't have that function so it kinda slipped my mind." Emerald held a wrist out in front of her, palm up, and gently pressed on the panel on the underside of her forearm. It popped open to reveal several pistons and bundles of wiring as well as two slots to hold dust vials of fire and ice that regulated the temperature, both of which were empty.

"Um, you would happen to have two spare vials of fire and ice dust each on you, would you?" Emerald asked meekly as they started up the drive to the Arkos house.

"I'm in a tank top and pajama pants and you are seriously asking me for vials of dust?" Lizzy deadpanned to which Emerald hung her head. the two crested the hill to the view of a truck with a covered back idling outside on the drive with Jaune standing at the front door.

"Hey there Liz, Em." He greeted them cheerfully before sticking his head back inside. "If I don't hear feet moving in a couple of seconds, someone won't be watching the next few episodes of X-ray and Vav or any TV for that matter!"

He smiled as his threat had the desired effect as the sounds of muffled scrambling echoed down the stairs before turning back to his the two women. "I swear, she gets just about every one of her bad habits from me. I would ask what brings you here so early but I could hear your stomachs growling while you were still at the bottom of the drive. Still plenty left in the kitchen, I would stay and chat but I have to get Tori to school."

The girl in question appeared at the top of the stairs, jumping from the landing and using partially opened wings to slow her descent. "Sorry daddy, I fergot to put my colorin stuff in my bag." She held up a Pumpkin Pete messenger pack to emphasize as Jaune ushered her towards the truck.

"Trust me, I used the same excuse on your mother back in Beacon. It didn't fly then and it won't now, speaking of which you get to do dishes tonight. You know flying in the house isn't allowed."

Praetoria gave a defiant look that withered under the stern one that Jaune returned as he buckled her into her seat. "But I didn't fly! I was just fallin' slowly!"

"Same difference little lady, dishes tonight and no more buts. We will be late if we don't hurry." Jaune closed the truck's door on Praetoria's protests and waved to Emerald and his sister as he hoped into the drivers seat. "See you two later tonight, I have a sweep and clear with a batch of Juniors from Beacon today as a day trip so don't wait up for me at dinner time."

Emerald and Lizzy nodded and waved goodbye to Jaune and Praetoria as the truck trundled down the drive and to the main road before going inside. The house's pleasant atmosphere warmth was a pleasant contrast to the cold spring air and the smell of oatmeal and cinnamon was a added plus. Pyrrha appeared at the top of the stairs in training clothes made up of yoga pants and a sleeveless training top that revealed the graceful looking red lines that marked her arms .

"Lizzy! Did your really walk over here in your pajamas _again_?" Pyrrha asked, admonishment clear in her tone. "You really need to take better care of yourself, you are still recovering from having nevermore quills punch strait through your abdomen."

Lizzy waved the concern away lazily. "Oh a little cold won't kill me Pyrrha. Besides I am well out of the woods in regards to the wounds." She smiled as Pyrrha walked over to her with a concerned look on her face before gently prodding Lizzy's bandaged stomach causing the woman's smile to turn into a gritting wince.

"Out of the woods maybe but hardly in top shape." Pyrrha sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Blatant disregard to one's self seems to be another Arc trait. I just hope Praetoria doesn't get that as well. I can only assume you are here because you once again forgot to get food as well."

Pyrrha motioned for the two to follow her as she headed back into the kitchen. "Honestly Lizzy, if you keep this up I will drag you back to the main house. You are twenty-nine years old and a trained huntress yet you still act like a huntress-in-training." The tone in Pyrrha's voice could only be described as 'motherly' and Emerald couldn't help but chuckle. Motherhood, it seemed, was something that Pyrrha had taken too quite quickly.

"Don't worry Pyrrha, I will make sure we start getting a steady supply of fresh food." Emerald stated gently as she walked over to the stove that held a covered pot next to a kettle set over a low flame that emitted a steady wisp of steam. She lifted the lid to see lukewarm oatmeal and made a noise of approval. "Mm, oatmeal. Always a good choice for starting the day. Will Violet be joining us or has she already left?"

Pyrrha shook her head gently as she walked next to Emerald and turned the flame underneath the kettle off. "Sadly she already left, she needed to take the early flight back to Vale to be to work on time." stated as she poured the hot water into a tea pot before droping in several tea bags. "Would you like some tea Emerald?" Pyrrha asked as she poured herself a cup.

"Nah, I'm good for now, just hungry. To bad about Violet, I was looking forward to chatting with her more."

After retrieving a bowl with Lizzy the two woman spooned a healthy portions for themselves and dressed the oatmeal to their tastes before sitting down with Pyrrha at the table. The three enjoyed a companionable silence as Lizzy and Emerald enjoyed their meal and Pyrrha looked through her scroll at the latest news. After several minutes of the quite sounds of silverware clinking and the ambient sounds of the forest outside did Emerald break the silence.

"Seeing your scroll reminds me Pyrrha, I need to get Ruby's scroll contact. I still need to talk to her about getting parts and materials to make new weapons." Emerald stated in a pause between bites finishing off her oatmeal. "Would you happen to know when a good time to message her would be? wouldn't exactly want to call or message her in the middle of a stealth mission."

"Oh, of course Emerald. Just let me finish up this article and I will give it to you." Pyrrha replied happily. "As for when a good time to call her would be I do believe that she should be just getting in from a mission out in Northern Anima." Pyrrha glanced at the time on her scroll and gave a moment to calculate. "She actually should just be landing if she hasn't run into any delays."

Emerald wiped her mouth with a napkin and nodded. Emerald fished her scroll from her pocket and held it out to Pyrrha who tapped her own against it and a small chime sounded as the information was transferred. "Northern Anima? Why is she taking a mission all the way up in the frozen sticks?" Questioned Emerald as she began dialing her friend.

"Last I heard she was on protection detail with a group of dust mine surveyors for her block of ice of a wife and her company." Lizzy supplied as she stood up and began clearing the table. "After your guys little crusade against that Salem woman and her nutters Weiss went to contest her douche nozzle of a brother's-"

"Language!" Pyrrha interrupted with a stern glare to Lizzy before Lizzy continued.

"-inheritance for the SDC and things got nasty. Company nearly ripped itself apart and a lot of mines and jobs got lost in the crossfire. After Weiss pulled the majority the company back together and renamed it the White Rose Dust Company she and Ruby have been clearing out mines and processing sites."

Emerald held her scroll to her right ear gently as she listened. "Oh wow, I think I know who I might lend a hand to once I'm back in fighting shape." Her scroll stopped ringing as the other end answered. "Hello? Ruby are yo-"

"EMMIEEEEEEE!" Emerald winced and held her scroll at arms length as a piercing squeal of unbridled joy was emitted from her scroll loud enough to cause Pyrrha and Lizzy to flinch.

"I really should have expected that from Lil red." Emerald grumbled as she switched her scroll left hand and ear while rubbing her ringing right ear. "-looOoo, Emmie? Remnant to Emerald."

"I'm still her Ruby, just had to switch ears now that I can't hear out of my right one at the moment." Emerald replied dryly which caused the woman on the other end to chuckle with a hint of embarrassment.

"heh, oops? Sorry I guess I might have over re-acted a little bit." Ruby replied apologetically. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it to your hearing but was glad to hear you are free as a bird now! oh, whoops... Sorry, that sounded a little racist didn't it?"

Emerald covered her face gently and heaved a sigh. "It's fine Lil Red, hasn't been the worst thing said about me. 'Sides, it is a fairly accurate statement. I wish this were a social call only but I do need to ask for a favor or three, would now be a good time?"

A bubbly giggle drifted from Emerald scroll "Of course! I'm just waiting for big Al to swing by to pick me up. let me just find a place to hunker down and switch to video call."

Emerald looked at Pyrrha and Lizzy questioningly and mouthed 'Who' as she stayed on the line waiting.

"Alexander, Ruby's personal assistant. built like a brick shit house but damn smart and a nice guy unless you piss him off." Lizzy answered as a video chat notice appeared. Emerald tapped the Icon and Ruby's scuffed and grimy face with a large black leather patch imprinted with White rose decal covering her left eye and part of her face appeared.

Ruby's hair was longer than when Emerald had last seen her. Reaching just past her shoulders and tied into a loose pony tail that was secured with a white ribbon just above the red tips of her hair. "Hey there Emmie! lookin' good. How are you enjoying your stay with Pyrrha and Jaune?"

"I am having a good time so far, it's much better than my last lodging not that they would be hard to beat." Emerald answered with a laugh. "Anyway I was hoping you might be able to scrounge up some pistol and mecha-shift parts for me. I need new weapons and will take any old scraps and outdated tech you might have lying around."

To say that Ruby's face didn't light up at the mention of weapons would have been like saying the sun doesn't rise ever morning. "Oh Emmie! I was hoping that you would ask me for help with your weapons! I loved your originals and thought they suited you sooooo well as you could be like all 'wha! yah! who-waaaaa and bam! Bam! Bam! at the same time just like Ren!" Ruby gesticulated as she spoke, earning a small smile from Emerald as she watched the famed 'Red Rose Reaper' act like she was still Fifteen. "You two have such awesome fighting styles, it is like gun play and Kung-fu had a super baby! Oh you guys should call it Gun-fu! How has nobody thought up that term before! I gotta' call Weissy and get her lawyer people get that trademarked and copyrighted!"

Both Pyrrha and Emerald groaned at the term 'Gun-fu' while Lizzy chuckled silently at the reactions. Emerald held up her hands in a calming gesture as Ruby continued to jump from one tangent to the next like a demented train jumping tracks. "RUBY! calm down there Lil' red, I need you to be coherent for me. I'm not as used to translating things from 'Ruby-nese' as the rest of your friends."

Ruby gave a sheepish smile from the screen and scratched her cheek gently as she chuckled. "Ehehehe, sorry Em. You know I tend to get a teensy bit excited when talking about weapons." 'That is putting it mildly' Emerald thought as she rolled her eyes while Ruby continued. "Back on topic I wouldn't force you to dig through all my bits and bobs to cobble together your weapons. I can tell you are one to build your own weapon so why not swing by my shop when I get settled in and we can tinker together? Cresent Rose needs a little TLC after my last mission but Weiss HATES when I work on her at home so its a win-win for everybody!"

"I would love to swing by your shop Ruby but I don't think I can afford anything other that your 'bits and bobs'. I am already relying on your guys' charity more than I would like." Emerald stated morosely. "I am already a few hundred Lien in the hole with Pyrrha for new clothes and I don't expect to just squat in their guest house like I was still a street urchin."

"Emerald, this might seem like charity but it is what real friends should do when their friend finds themselves in a bad spot." Ruby said gently with a soft smile gracing her face. "You can pay us back when and where you can so don't feel like our help is just us taking pity on you."

Pyrrha nodded at Ruby's words and smiled at Emerald from across the table. "Ruby is right Emerald. We aren't doing this out of pity, we are just helping a friend get back up on her feet. You've been through a lot as have we all, what kind of friends would we be if we didn't help one another?"

Emerald sighed and nodded gently. "I- you are right guys, it's just that I have been on my own or dealing with less than reputable people for as long as I can remember. I can't help but be wary of accepting so much without thinking there won't be some catch or favor needed at a later time. I WILL pay you guys back, just bear with me as I get this whole 'living like a normal person' thing down."

"Eh, it isn't my strongest point either Emmie so don't worry about it." Ruby said as she waved the thought away.

"I would like to know what kinda' parts to set aside for when you stop by just so we can get a bit of a jump on getting you armed again... I did it again, didn't I?" There was several moments of awkward silence on both ends of the call before Emerald sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose while shaking her head.

"I would be lying if I said this was out of character for you Ruby. Again, it is fine. The only time I have seen you actively be malicious was towards Cinder and _her_. Other than that you are about as capable of being consciously racist or mean as a basket full of puppies and just as oblivious." Emerald stated which earned a nod of agreement from Pyrrha and Lizzy while Ruby just beamed happily at the back-handed compliment. " As for what to set aside, a few pistol variants and mecha-shift capable blades and connecter/extention joints."

"Can do Emmie!" Ruby chirped as a text document popped up on screen for Ruby to quickly type in the notes. "Do you want to stick with revolvers or should I put aside some semi- and full-auto actions as well?

"No full autos as their accuracy at range is crap and I hate the recoil patterns they usually have. I will take you up on the semi autos but can you look for ones that have front mounted clips? I wouldn't be able to fit the chain and counter-weights with any designs that have the clip housed in the grip."

"Those designs are a little uncommon but I think I have a few lying around in storage. Any other requests?" Ruby asked as she finished up her notes.

"Nothing comes to mind right away, that should give us a good place to start from at the very least."

The on screen notes disappeared and Ruby nodded with her remaining eye shining bright with anticipation. "Great! I will shoot you a text or call once I have settled back in and after having ravished my sexy Lil' snow queen!"

"Ruby!" Pyrrha sputtered as a faint blush dusted her pale features.

"Tell Pyrrha to loosen up Emmie." Ruby giggled as a mischievous look entered her eye. "It isn't like she doesn't do the same thing with Jaune after she goes on a solo hunt. I never knew there was a louder screamer than Weissy until we moved to New Vale. I am surprised she doesn't get noise complaints from downtown."

There was a loud clatter as Lizzy toppled out of her chair cackling like a demon as she rolled on the floor and a strangled noise of utter embarrassment from across the table. Emerald quirked an eyebrow and looked up from her screen to see Pyrrha's light blush heat to a color rivaling her hair before her head met the surface of the table with a audible thud.

"So on a scale of one to my cloak how red did she go?" Ruby asked innocently from the screen of the scroll.

Emerald tapped her finger to her chin in mock contemplation. "Eh, you got her to match her own hair color. Isn't this kind of thing your sister's forte?"

Ruby pumped her arm happily. "Yes! Still got that touch and to answer your question she has always been a bad influence on me. That and there is nothing sweeter than beating your older sibling at their own game. Yang has only gotten Pyrrha to match the sunset so I still hold the record of making Pyrrha gain the most color back to her face."

"Well that isn't racist at all..." Emerald replied dryly.

"What's a little casual racism between friends? Oh! I see Al in the limo. I hope he has gallons of the strawberry fizz water in the mini-fridge. Gotta go Emmie, can't wait to hug you!"

Ruby waved cheerily into the camera before the connection cut off leaving Emerald with a soundless Pyrrha and a wheezing Lizzy. She closed her scroll and stuffed it back into her pocket before starting to clear the table since her friends were incapacitated. "Well she is as chipper as ever. Seriously, how can you bunch be THIS happy and laid back all the time? It will probably be a question I take to my grave."

The only respond she got was a squeak from Pyrrha and a ragged breath from Lizzy who still had tears streaming from her eyes. It was several minutes longer before either of her friends was able to speak properly and ten more before Lizzy could talk without her sides hurting. After regaining her sensibilities Lizzy excused herself for the walk home to get fully dressed while Emerald joined Pyrrha for a light workout.

The gym of the house was located in the basement which to Emeralds estimates looked to extend past the walls of the house that topped it. The basement was separated into several areas that would seem out of place in any household other than a hunter's. the Laundry room sat next to an armory bench where Psíthyros, Pyrrha's replacement and upgraded spear, sat partially disassembled while a heavily repaired and modified akoúo hung next to a spot for Corcea Mors and both the Arkos's other hunter field gear. in the room next to the armory bench Emerald could make out several cases of heavily plated dust and ammunition crates on top of which were several cardboard boxes labeled 'holiday decorations'. The rest of the basement was taken up by rec room complete with a mini bar and pool table and the gym was right next door.

The workout was mostly done in companionable silence punctuated by idle chatter between the two before Lizzy returned in workout gear of her own as well as fresh clothes for Emerald. Emerald couldn't help but frown at Lizzy's condition. the young woman put on a convincing face that she was perfectly fine and her wounds didn't bother her but it was clear from the wincing and gritted teeth that she still had a while to go before being field ready once more.

The workout session was cut short when a winded Lizzy nearly dropped a barbell onto her foot, releasing a string of expletives in several different languages that would make even a bandit blush.

"I think that is where we will call it for today." Pyrrha stated while gently setting down her own weights before walking over to Lizzy and lifting up her shirt and shifting aside the bandage and gauze to check on her wounds. "Honestly Lizzy, you and Jaune truly are twins with how hard you push yourselves. Tsk, the scars are bruised, you nearly reopened them by the looks of it it."

Lizzy winced as Pyrrha replaced the bandages and gave a light laugh. "Heh, so I might have exaggerated on how much my wounds had healed, still in one piece aren't I?" Her weak smile withered under Pyrrha's glare.

"Just get up stairs and shower first, I want to take a good look at those wounds again. I have a feeling you have been downplaying just how bad they were to begin with." Pyrrha ordered in concerned annoyance. "Emerald and I will clear up down here and see you back in the kitchen."

Lizzy shuffled away and up the stairs while mumbling her acknowledgment and favoring her right side. Pyrrha sighed and shook her head before turning back to straitening up the gym room with Emerald. After storing the last of the weights Pyrrha and Emerald made their way up the stairs."Well while she is freshening up we can get started on another bit of training that I think you are in need of."

"Oh? What do you have in mind for me Pyr?" Emerald asked they both crested the stairs.

"Thats for me to know and you to find out so just sit down in the kitchen while I just get a few things from the office." Pyrrha gave a sly smile as she walked to the front of the house while Emerald just shrugged and went back into the kitchen.

Emerald grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it from the tap taking a long sip of water before toping her glass off and moving to the tablet to browse the latest news on her scroll. It was only a short while before a small stack of books thumped down on the table in front of her, causing her to jump in her seat slightly. Emerald shot Pyrrha a glare, eliciting a shrug of apology as her friend settled down into the chair next to her.

"What the hell is all this stuff? These looks like textbooks." Emerald eyed the stack of books warily as if it might jump to life and attack while Pyrrha nodded.

"That is exactly what they are! I asked Glynda if we could have or buy some of the old textbooks from Beacon's sophomore and senior classes. As part of getting you back up on your feet and as a certified huntress I have taken the liberty of throwing a little lesson plan together to help you!" Pyrrha beamed brightly as she watched Emerald crack open one of the used textbooks before scanning the index.

"I think I know which end of the gun the bullets come out of and how to gut a Ursa Pyrrha. Do you really think I got that rusty while sitting in my concrete box?"

"Not at all Emerald, this material is of a decidedly different nature. While I have complete confidence in your ability to kill Grimm what I do think you will need help with is learning to, shall we say, 'living on the up and up?'" Pyrrha handed Emerald several sheets of papers, the top page reading 'Tax Form' which caused a chill to run down Emerald's spine.

"Given your previous less than law abiding life style I thought it prudent to tutor you in the intricacies of living in the land of the lawful." Pyrrha clamped a not so gentle hand to Emerald's shoulder when the winged shaded had made to run to keep her seated as she continued. "This an important part of living Emerald and I am not going to just let you out into the world with no practical living skills. Thankfully we just pasted tax season so we can ease into that mess as time goes on. For right now it's time to learn to balance a check book and getting you medically covered. Those arms of yours aren't exactly cheap but luckily they ARE tax deductible. Now lets get started, shall we?"

Emerald groaned and put her head down onto the tablet as Pyrrha grabbed the economics book. "Pyrrha? Is it to late to get my cell back?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for the wait folks, work has literally been sapping the life out of me and didn't have time to write. Without further delay, the next chapter.**

* * *

A Re-Cut Gem

chpt 7

Emerald heaved a sigh of relief as she finally filled the last of the insurance forms out and closed the multiple windows on her scroll. She groaned as she stretched in her seat, back popping several times before standing up and looking across the table to Pyrrha who was reading a book idly. "If I see another stupid form again it will be too soon."

Pyrrha smiled innocently and closed her book. "Oh it is only hard the first time around Emerald. After the second time around it just becomes a matter of going through the motions."

Emerald gave a humorless scoff as she glanced at the clock on her scroll, groaning at what she saw. She had just spent the last two hours working on insurance and bank account forms under the diligent gaze of Pyrrha who had at least been kind enough to walk her through the more confusing parts of the ordeal. "If you say so Pyrrha. I still think whoever thought up the concept of taxes should be strung up, covered in Forever fall sap and tossed to the Ursas."

"If it makes you feel any better Jaune and Yang have the same mind set. I swear, they make doing the taxes every year sound like pulling teeth." Pyrrha stated as she began to help Emerald clear the kitchen table of books and loose sheets of paper. "Seeing as it is just past one how about we start on lunch. Would you like anything particular Emerald?"

Emerald shrugged as she accepted a stack of papers for Pyrrha before piling them together neatly. "Sandwich would be fine, I'm not exactly a picky eater. Give me a bit to stack this stuff near the door so that I can bring it back to the guest house." Emerald looked around and furrowed her brow. "Where did Lizzy disappear too? Somehow her being quiet doesn't feel like a good thing..."

Lizzy had only stuck around for the first twenty minutes of working on forms, most of which she had been bickering at Pyrrha as the latter scolded her sister-in-law while rebinding her abdomen with fresh bandages and cold packs. It had been the only point of entertainment for Emerald who had found the sight of Pyrrha going into full mother mode on a grown huntress priceless.

"Knowing her, she is either sulking or asleep on the couch in the family room. Given the lack of profanity drifting down the hall I would put my lien on the latter." Pyrrha chuckled lightly as she began taking several packages of meats and cheeses out of the refrigerator. "Would you mind waking her up once you have stored all your paperwork in the office? I will remind you to take it home later unless you would like us to keep it."

Emerald nodded as she exited the kitchen and down the dimly lit hallway. She paused at the junction where turning left would bring her into the family and right was the closed door of the office. A smirk crossed her face as she heard the faint snoring of Lizzy drifting from the family room and shook her head gently. such peace was still a foreign concept to her but one she was coming to enjoy.

Emerald opened the door to the 'office' and the sight that greeted her caused her eyes to widen. Warming rays of light spilled in from bay windows, shining gently on a antique desk that faced out the window and behind from floor to ceiling was a bookcase that was lined with books. Emerald had always been an avid reader an to see a wall sized book case after only being allowed magazines and other such reading material while in prison was like looking upon the greatest treasure.

Quickly setting the textbooks and papers on the desk Emerald walked almost trance like to the case. She scanned the orderly spines of the books and gently breathed in the scent of aged paper. Books bound in aging leather that appeared decades old jostled shoulders with paperbacks that only appear a few months old. She had never taken Jaune to be a reader other than his love for comics and Pyrrha while academic didn't seem to be one to amass such a collection of such variety and age.

It took physical effort on Emerald's part to pull away from the sight though now that the knowledge of such a collection was at her metallic fingertips she vowed she would return when time permitted. With a sigh she left the office, casting a longing glance over her shoulder before shutting the door and walking into the family room to see Lizzy splayed unceremoniously out across the couch. The wounded huntress slept with all the grace of a drunkard, one leg dangling off the edge of the couch and her arms thrown over her head.

Emerald rolled her eyes before picking up a pillow and tossing it gently at Lizzy's face, causing her to wake with a start and roll off the couch with a graceless thud and several colorful curses. "Common sleeping ugly, we're done with the mental torture and have moved on to lunch."

"A polite tap on the shoulder or just saying my name would have been enough Emerald, was the pillow to the face really called for?" Lizzy asked sourly as she picked herself up from the floor while gently rubbing her forehead.

Emerald shrugged gently as she and Lizzy started down the hallway. "No, but it did have entertainment value. How're your wounds feeling? Better I would hope."

Lizzy nodded as she pulled a now warm cold pack from under her shirt. "Yeah, nothing that a little nap didn't fix right up. Wonderful thing aura. So what's for lunch, anything good?"

"Just Sandwiches and whatever else is around, hope that is good enough for your highness."

"Eh, sandwiches are fine. Also the Arc's haven't been royalty since the end of the great war so you can drop the titles, it bugs the crap out of Jaune." Lizzy stated matter-of-factly as the two entered the kitchen which caused Emerald freeze mid-step.

"Wait, what?!" Emerald asked causing Lizzy to look back and Pyrrha up from making sandwiches. The blond and the red head traded glances, Pyrrha looking decidedly guilty while Lizzy seemed confused.

"Wait, you and Jaune didn't tell her? I thought she knew?"

"W-well, we certainly meant to broach the subject but it honestly didn't seem to be relevant nor does it truly matter to me or Jaune." Pyrrha admitted sheepishly as the sandwich preparation seemed to take on a whole new interest to the spartan.

"Can we get back to the part about the Arc's being ROYALTY? I feel as if I might be missing something." Emerald asked with a hint of annoyance entering her voice.

"FORMER-royalty Em." Lizzy clarified as she went about setting out three places at the table. "My great-great-grandfather was the last king of Vale as he abdicated the throne after the war. He changed his last name after helping form the academies and went on to be a 'normal' huntsman, if you can call being so powerful that you were said to have magical powers strong enough to level armies."

Lizzy chortled at the word magic and missed the silent conversation that Pyrrha and Emerald shared looking at each other. Apparently Lizzy hadn't been brought into the loop about magic being quite real despite living down the street from a former fall maiden candidate. Emerald made a mental note to bring the topic up later but for now continued returned to the matter at hand.

"So technically the Arcs are Royalty?" Emerald asked as she helped Pyrrha carry the food from the counter over to the table.

"Ex-royalty but yeah, that is right" Confirmed Lizzy as she gratefully took a plate from Emerald.

Emerald looked to Pyrrha with a quirked eyebrow. "Married up in the world, didn't we?"

Pyrrha to her credit gave Emerald a scowl as the pair sat down. "Do you really think that him being descended from royalty matters to me? To me he is just Jaune Arc, the awkward and lovable boy that didn't know who I was and treated everyone equally from Beacon."

"I was joking Pyr!" Emerald stated with a chuckle as she held her hands up in mock defense."You don't need to bite my head off, I think I've lost enough limbs already, don't you?"

Pyrrha sighed and shook her head at the comment while Lizzy chuckled before biting into her sandwich. "I know you are Emerald but it IS a bit of a sore point for Jaune as is most topics relating to family and his memories."

Emerald's grin faded and she nodded in understanding. "I understand Pyr, I'll not bother him about keeping that little nugget of info to himself." Emerald crossed her finger over her heart before digging into her own sandwich.

The three huntresses ate quietly for several minutes before the front door shuddered under a barrage of knocks that seems to be delivered by a jackhammer. Emerald and Lizzy looked towards Pyrrha with puzzled and slightly concerned looks.

"You expecting company Pyr?" Lizzy asked questioningly as another barrage of knocks sounded from the front door.

Pyrrha shook her head as she rose from her seat. "No, Jaune and I kept our schedules fairly clear for the next few days while we got Emerald settled in. I do recognize those knocks though but I thought those two would be still resting and recovering..." Pyrrha stated as she walked into the hallway.

Emerald nearly lept out of her chair as the sound of the front door crashing open only to be followed by a loud and shrill voice. "THE QUEEN HAS COME TO DEMAND HER PANCAKE TRIBUTE!"

Emerald groaned and held her face in her hands at those words and the walking anomally that they had come from. "oh gods no, not her. Anyone but her..."

Lizzy laughed at Emerald's reaction and patted the Shaded's back and folded wing consolingly. "Aw, what's the matter Em? Can take a little dose of Nora?"

Emeralded lifted her head out of her hands to shoot a venomous glare at Lizzy. "There is no such things as a 'little dose' of Nora. The woman is a sugar rush in a physical form with ADHD!"

Lizzy continued to look amused as she and Emerald turned towards the voices that drifted from the front door. "well you aren't wrong on either counts there Emmie. Better get used to her as long as you are staying here she will randomly appear and there is no known way of tracking her much less stopping her."

Emerald sighed at Lizzy's statement as she reluctently agreed before listing in on the conversation down the hall.

"Honestly Nora, you and Ren should be back home resting! You are in no condition to be up and about yet after your last mission." Pyrrha's voice was heavy with disproval as Nora laughed.

"Oh pe-shaw Pyrrha! Me and Renny are just fine. Besides, we wanted to see how you and your new guest are! I also wanted to give you something to protect you from her semblance! I made them my self!"

"Well that would explain the tinfoil hat you have on..." Pyrrha stated in a bemused tone.

Emerald brisled slighty, her feathers puffing in response. She knew the topic of her semblance was a bit of a golaith in the room but to have people think she would use it on her friends and hosts was still extremely insulting. The sound of several sets of footsteps ecohed down the hallway though with ever other step there was a 'thunk' accompanying one of the steps.

Emerald's eyes nearly popped out when saw the state Ren and Nora were in as they walked through the kitchen doorway. Nora's head was partially wrapped in bandages and her face sported several partially healed cuts and bruises on top of which sat a captains hat made out of tinfoil. She wore her customary pink combat skirt and white top and bomber jacket, the heart shaped cleavage window showing the skin beneath the unhealthy yellowish color of heavily bruised skin. Her left leg was encased in a cast and brace from the knee down and the huntress was leaning on Magnhild as a crutch with the hammer head tucked in her armpit.

Ren was in slightly better shape that his partner but still showed signs of having been in a tough battle. His face was and head was mostly devoid of injuries save for a few scratches and most notably a lovely shiner of a black eye. Dressed in his green twin taled coat and white leggings Emerald noted that his rght arm was in a sling with the coat arm dangling empty at his side.

What the hell happened to you two!? You guys look like you got run over by a Goliath!" Emerald blurted out as she got up from her seat and offered it to Ren who nodded in thanks.

"Ren sighed and nodded his head werilly. "That is EXACTLY what happened."

Emerald looked at the soft spoken man for several moments as she proccessed his words.

"Wait, what!?"

"If you think WE look bad you should see the other Goliath!" Nora chimed in happily as she flopped into Lizzy's lap as the blond protests went ignored.

Ren shot Nora a stern look at her statement. "Its because of the other Goliath that we look this way."

Nora shrugged nonchalantly as Lizzy wormed her way from under the Red head's surpising weight. "Oh, so I lost track of the second Goliath, easy thing to do!"

Emerald could only look on dumbfoundly at the casual dismissal from Nora. Losing track of a Goliath was akin to losing track to a moving house with a bad attitude. "How on Remnant can you lose track of a Goliath!?"

"It was just as baby." Nora replied almost fondly as she stole the dill pickle from Lizzy's plate and bit into it with a satisfied crunch.

Ren sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. "That 'baby' was still at least one ton and ten feet tall Nora..."

"I know right?" Nora mumbled around a mouthful of stolen pickle. "No wonder I lost track of the little fella!"

Emerald groaned as she let her head hang down. "How can you be so bubbly and carefree?" She looked pleadingly to Ren. "Please tell me there is some secret way of keeping your sanity around her."

"You just learn to accept that Nora is Nora." Ren stated with an apolgetic shrug as he handed a crestfallen Emerald what remained of her sandwich while across the table Lizzy was in a tug-of-war with Nora over her plate emphasising his point.

"Well Nora being Nora aside, you two really should still be at home resting." Pyrrha admonished as she began preparing to make more sandwiches only to be shooed towards the table by Lizzy shot an annoyed look at Nora as she took over to let her sister-in-law chat with her former teammates "Honestly, you two were lucky to get off light as you did taking on a small herd of Goliaths. These land clearing missions are getting more and more dangerous these days."

"So things really are that bad out there?" Emerald asked as she sat down in the vacant chair next to Ren before finishing off her sandwhich.

Ren nodded gently in response. ""Grimm attacks have been on the rise again lately but to say the increase of Grimm is the sole reason would be incorrect."

"How so?"

"After the crisis the Grimm became extremely disorganized, more so that they had ever been, making them easy to eliminate. This emboldened a lot of people from the Kingdoms to strike out into the outlands to establish new communities." Ren stated. "A lot more people saw these new settlements growing and having lost faith in the councils and the Kingdoms after the crisis left to join communities that 'wouldn't let such things happen' again."

Emerald snorted and nodded seeing what was going on. "So a bunch of people who were at least partially prepared to chance it set up shop. Then people who were scared of another shadow organization or just opposed to the counciled hopped onto the bandwagon and brought all their negativity out with em..."

"Exactly." Ren confirmed with a nod. "The flow of people out of the Kingdoms peaked around four or so years ago and unsurprisingly that is when the attacks started to pick up again."

"It doesn't help that The Lost started to take over leading bands of Grimm not long after we offed Salem..." Nora gently added in a solome tone quite out of character for the normally bubbly woman.

Emerald and Pyrrha flinched at the mention of the Lost. The Lost were the true goal of the parasitic Shade Grimm, near human level intellegent grimm hybrids able to command swarms of mindless Grimm utterly subserviant to Salem. They served as line officers, co-ordinating the usually directionless grimm into a semblance of order making them expontentially more dagerous. Without the controling influence of Salem Emerald wasn't surprised that the Lost had become roving bands of terror.

"So basically perfect storm stuff." Emerald mumbled. "No wonder the Council let me off with what ammounts to a slap on the wrists. The hunter forces must be stretched to the limit and in need of new blood."

"Well I can only be breaking legses in one place at a time." Nora nodded as Lizzy sat down next to her setting a sandwich in front of Ren and herself before smacking Nora's hand as it edged closer to the pile of chips on Lizzy's new plate.

"Things always get worse before they get better. The appearance of the Shaded and the Lost have open doors both good and bad." Pyrrha commented. "Where before Grimm attacks were sporatic and disorganised they now have crude tactics, we can't write them off as mindless attacks anymore."

Emerald frowned and nodded, her face mirroring Pyrrha's as the negative emotions now filling the kitchen gently pressing at their minds. Ren's voice stirred the two Shaded women from their maudilen thoughts with a brighter outlook.

"By that same token, with the help of Shaded we have been able to learn more about the phyisology of the Grimm than ever before. We finally have the ability to hold them in captivity and study them." Ren countered. "Just look at the fact that we have finally been able create anti-venom for king Taijitu and Death Stalker venom."

"Renny is right! We can't just focus on the bad stuff happening, we have to see the good that happens as well!" Nora chimed happily before pointing at Emerald. "Just look at Emerald here! She used to be a no good, horrible, awful, super bad,-"

Nora received a less than subtle jab in the side from Lizzy when she saw Emerald shrinking into her chair as Nora rattled of her descriptions. The hammer wielder took a moment to glare at Lizzy who returned it in kind before nodding towards Emerald who was now looking down at the ground between her legs and the disapproving looks from Ren and Pyrrha.

The light bulb went off and Nora quickly threw up her hands in a placating manner. "W-what I'm say is that she ISN'T any of those things anymore and is a good guy now! I mean she WAS badder than bad before but now is not so bad because she felt bad about her badness-"

"NORA!" Three voices shouted in exasperation as Emerald mumbled her excuses and left the kitchen with a hurried stride.

"Um, hehehehe... Oops?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "Really Nora, you don't need to throw Emerald's past into her face. It follows her her around like rattling chains as it is! Talking about it like that is just pulling on those chains and dragging her into the past."

"S-sorry Pyrrha..." Nora squeaked as she shrank away from the withering glares of her friends.

"It isn't Pyrrha that you should you be apologizing to motormouth." Lizzy snapped. "Look I get that I only meet her yesterday and that she has more than a few skeletons rattling in her closet but she seems pretty earnest in wanting to go strait."

"I'll apologize! I swear on a stack of Ren's pancakes that I will!" Nora promised.

Ren sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nora, let me just make sure that Emerald will be in a frame of mind to actually hear you out. In the mean time why don't you just help clean up from lunch for now."

Ren pushed himself away from the table and out of the kitchen after Emerald while the others began to clean up the kitchen. Walking into main hall Ren noted that he hadn't heard the front door being opened or closed meaning Emerald was still in the house. As he walked towards the family room He heard gentle rustle of feathers coming from the office and saw that the door was slightly ajar.

He knocked softly before entering, catching site of Emerald siting in the bay window facing out into front yard. Framed in the rays of the afternoon sun and seated in a cross-legged position Ren would have said she looked almost serene.

"Emerald, I would like to apologize on Nora's behalf. She tends to talk before she thinks more often than not." Ren spoke in his soft tone as he stood a respectful distance behind Emerald.

Emerald was quiet for several moments and Ren noted she was controlling her breathing in a pattern he was familiar with from his own meditative practices. She turned her head to Ren and opened her right eyes, revealing black sclera and glowing red irises.

"Mind giving me a little time to get myself centered? Not exactly in the best state of mind at the moment..."

There was a strain to her voice as she fought to keep her Grimm nature in check. Ren had witnessed both Pyrrha and Jaune in similar states before when stress and emotions had finally caught up to them and things came to a head. Thankfully he was a person uniquely suited to helping. Ren smiled gently and held out his hands in a peaceful gesture as he slowly approached Emerald as one would a agitated animal.

"I can help you if want." Ren stated gently and held out his had slowly. From personal experience he knew that when a Shaded was struggling to control themselves than even a kind and level headed person like Jaune was more likely to act irrationally and violently at the slightest perceived threat or provocation.

Emerald's feathers bristled and wings slightly unfolded in preparation to launch a hail of feathers as one eye trained on the offered head while the other tracked what the Grimm in the back of her head told her was a potential threat and prey. With hesitance the Shaded turned slightly and reached out with a metallic hand and took the offered hand. Emerald's eyes widened as her body's coloring slowly became washed out and muted starting from the hand that held Ren's. For several moments Emerald felt the ever present pressure of emotions that had pressed upon her since her conversion into a Shaded lifted and the gnawing insistence of her darker instincts silenced. For several moments she felt human once more.

And then it passed. Once more she felt emotions press against her senses and once again became aware of her Grimm instincts though the latter was once more placated and under her control.

"W-wow... That was pretty amazing Ren. How'd you do that?"

"It was my semblance" Ren explained as he sat down in the bay window next to Emerald. "I can calm emotions and put people into a calm state of mind."

Emerald gave a weak smile before turning her gaze back out the window. "Well that is why I can't sense your emotions. You don't even register to me sitting there, must come in handy sneaking around Grimm."

Ren chuckled gently and nodded. "It has come in handy on a few occasions."

The two sat in a neutral silence for several minutes before Ren broke it.

"I feel like your struggle with your nature wasn't caused just from Nora not so gently bringing up the past you." Ren stated as he leaned forward to rest his good arm on his knee as he stared gently at the wall covering bookcase. "I've always been the one that the others have come to to vent or ask advise from. I might not be a trained therapist but I apparently make a good sounding board, if you want to talk I am willing to listen."

Emerald sat silently, gently holding herself as she gazed out the window for several moments before speaking.

"I... Everything just kinda finally hit me I guess. It was pretty much a blur yesterday so things just didn't have time to sink in. I'm trying to go strait and make up for as much for all the shit and mistakes I've caused and made. While that sounds really noble and saintly n' crap Nora making me remember about just how much I have done makes me realize just how utterly, massively, impossibly HUGE a task that really is."

Emerald shifted her position, bringing her knees up to her chin and winced as she heard the sound of tearing fabric as her talons slashed the cushions of the bay seat but didn't have the emotional energy to care.

"That itself would be enough to make most people have a breakdown but throw in that I have a monster that is drawn to and feeds off of negative emotions and wants to destroy humanity living in the back of my head... Well it doesn't really help. Gods know that the only reason you or anyone else is giving me this chance I don't deserve is because of Jaune, Pyrrha and Ruby vouched for me."

Ren turned and looked to Emerald, causing her to return the gaze. "In all honesty Emerald you DO have a mountain in front of you and only have yourself to blame for it. I was not initially in favor of you getting this chance, let alone helping you. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that I still don't fully trust you or that the only reason that I am even talking to you is because of the word of three people who I trust with my life."

As Ren spoke Emerald shrunk from Ren's steady gaze, breaking eye contact and hugging her legs back to her chest. Ren paused and took a breath and continued.

"However after thinking about things since then I can't say that you haven't earned this chance. You turned against the people who took you in once you saw just what their plans truly were. You saved three of my friend's lives and lost everything." Ren placed a comforting hand on Emerald's shoulder. "Even your humanity. Now having seen that you do really understand the scale of your task but still seem willing to try despite that I think giving you this chance was not a mistake."

"Gee, glad it only took a minor emotional breakdown and my nature rearing it's head to convince you." Emerald stated dryly though the ghost of a smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"It didn't hurt, though you still have a ways yet to fully convince me that you truly intend to stick to your new path. I and the others of our group are still watching you Emerald, there will be no second chances if you hurt our friends again." Ren's face hardened and his words held an edge to them that was impossible to miss but as quickly as they had appeared they were gone, replaced by a warmer look and a gentle tone.

The soft spoken man stood from his seat and once more held out his good hand to Emerald. "You have shown me that you have started on your new path in life. Now all you have to do to convince me, and the others, is keep putting one foot in front of the other as cliche as it sounds."

Emerald smirked and took Ren's offered hand as he helped her up from her curled position on the bay seat. "Thanks for the ancient wisdom Mr. Fortune cookie, you have opened my eyes to just how simple things really are."

The sarcasm dripped from Emerald's words but there was no real malice in her eyes and her voice softened. "Though seriously, thank you. I know that just trying to look past my, well, past is a massive leap of faith for you guys. It still feels like I am going to fail miserably at convincing you people but I will try."

"As long as you try and continue to do so is what matters. You've made a good start and I mean it when I say good luck with continuing on."

Emerald smiled and nodded, feeling better that she had in a while. She wasn't naive or stupid to know that Ren or any of her former enemies would trust or believe her intentions from just a simple talk but it was a start. She just had to keep proving she meant to stick to her decisions.

The moment was cut short as the sound of engines, the crunch of tires on dirt and gravel, and what sound like a small stampede attracted the attention of the two hunters back to the Bay window. Outside Emerald could see Jaune's truck cresting the top of the drive but her attention was fixed on the vehicle that loomed behind it. In a previous life the vehicle was more than likely a humble six wheel drive heavy cargo transport but whoever was driving it had given it a new purpose. Heavy armor plates had been skillfully welded, riveted or otherwise attached to the vehicle, pronouncing it's blocky design by giving it hard angles clearly was meant to deflect incoming fire. the front of the truck and cab was covered in jutting spikes and coiled razor wire above which sat heavily reinforced glass and protective armor panels that sat propped open to grant a better field of view but could slam down at a moments notice to reduce the exposed windows to mere vision slits.

The bed of the truck had been replaced with a squat armored troop compartment that had firing slits and looked big enough to house at least a dozen well armed soldiers, even from this distance Emerald could make out the movement of several forms through the firing slits. A top the armored compartment sat a turret from which four heavy caliber guns were mounted on the sides, armored feeder belts snaking their way to the actions.

By now the rest of the Arkos household and guests had made their way to the office, drawn by the commotion. As both vehicles ground to a halt out front the source of the sound of dozens of paws moving at a gallop appeared in the form of a pack of wolves. While this would have been intimidating enough by itself the fact that these wolves were the size of large ponies, compounded the terror value.

"Uh, you weren't expecting a pack of over sized wolves following overkill on wheels for company where you Pyrrha?" Lizzy asked as the back hatch of the armored vehicle opened and several men and women dressed in an array of armor, leather, cloth and fur pelts jumped from the back.

The former champion shook her head as a massive wolf approached the window, it's hot breath fogging the widow as it's scared visage peered in before a sharp whistle called it away. Behind it Jaune stepped from the cab of his pickup truck and noticed the group standing in the window. He gave one of his iconic lopsided grins and waved cheerfully as he walked towards the front door, raising his voice to be heard through the window.

"They followed me home from work, can we keep 'em?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Well folks I won't make any excuses for the massive gap between chapters. Honestly just lost the drive to write for a while and actually lost sight of what I was going for. Thankfully I have been getting the itch to write so stay tuned for more chapters, just don't expect anything too regular as I have thought up several new ideas and a lot more OCs to come into the story that I originally planned and I am still hammering a lot of the details out. Hopefully I won't fall off the face of the Earth again with my updates but make no promises. If I feel like it might be a while before my next chapter I will give a heads up. Well enough of my rambling, on with the story!**

* * *

A Recut Gem

Chpt 8

'Breathing fire' has always been a common figure of speech to describe heated words between couples. In the Arkos household, unfortunately, the figure of speech was actually quite a factual statement as one Jaune Arc had found out to his personal chagrin early on in his marriage. Alas this was one of the pitfalls to being married to a Shaded woman with heritage from a Drake Grimm.

"JAUNE ARC! WHY IS OUR DAUGHTER RIDING ON THE BACK OF A HORSE SIZED WOLF AND WHY IS THERE A _TANK_ IN OUR FRONT YARD!?"

Emerald winced as she, Nora, Ren, and Lizzy poked their heads around the door jam of the front entrance as they watched Pyrrha loom over her husband as small gouts of flames hissed through her clenched teeth with each breath. Pyrrha had never been one to anger easily, even after she became a Shaded and Emerald was glad as the Spartan was terror personified when irate.

"N-now Pyrrha sweety, she didn't ride home on one. She just wanted to sit on one and I said only when we got home and technically it isn't a tank but a armored fighting vehicle..." The hapless knight stuttered out as he shielded himself from the worst of his wife's heat with Croea Mors.

"I don't care WHAT the proper term is as the more pressing issue is that it is IN OUR DRIVEWAY." Pyrrha snapped before looking towards her daughter who was watching from the shoulders of a particularly scarred and grizzled looking wolf. "Praetoria Arkos! you get down from that thing right now young lady! Gods only know where that thing has been and what it has rolled in!"

Praetoria let out an 'aw' of disappointment at her mother's orders while pouting as one of the men of the group gently lifted her off. The man yelped in surprise as his armor glowed a dark grey before he was forcefully dragged towards the fuming woman of the house as soon as her daughter was safely on the ground.

"And just who ARE you people and WHY are you here!"

The man winced as heat washed over his face, causing him to squint. Emerald was now able to see that the man was actually a Faunus, a wolf if the lupine ears sticking up on his head was anything to go by. He was just slightly shorter than Jaune and wore a banded breastplate over a leather jerkin, the latter having intricate knotwork where the chest plate didn't fully cover. On his shoulders was a molted fur pelt of steel grey and white that matched his own hair color, Emerald idly wondered if it was natural or dyed to match. his right Eye was a milky blue-white sightless orb, the iris replaced with looked like a fractal knotwork pattern while his left was a golden hue flecked with black that had mortal fear written across it as he starred down the angry Pyrrha Arkos.

"M-my name is Fenris Frostmaw and t-they are my clansmen! We were hired by Glynda Goodwitch for a high priority relief mission and told to meet up with two other hunters on the Island of Patch to request their assistance!" Fenris babbled nearly incoherently before looking pleadingly over to Jaune. "I thought you informed your mate of our arrival?!"

Pyrrha switched her ire's target back to her husband who gulped as he went to cower partially behind his shield once more. "I did! Pyrrha, didn't you get _any_ of the texts or messages I sent you? I must have left like five messages and a dozen text saying these guys found me and the group of Beacon students I was shadowing with a request from Glynda!"

"I haven't had any messages! At all!"

"When was the last time you checked your scroll?"

"I have it right wi-" Pyrrha stopped mid sentence before releasing her grip on Fenris's armor and began patting herself down, check her pockets for her scroll. Jaune peaked from behind his shield, watching his wife's face switch from anger to confusion. "I could have sworn I had it on me. I had it with me this morning..."

"You were going downstairs to do your morning routine when I left toady." Jaune stated. "You where in your workout clothing, did you leave it downstairs? You know that is a bad habit of your's since that outfit doesn't have any pockets..."

The silence that followed Jaune's question was deafening, the only answer Pyrrha could supply was her face going cherry red before she brought a hand to her face before heaving a prolonged sigh of frustration.

"...I'm still not happy about seeing Praetoria on a giant wolf." Pyrrha stated in a irritated voice muffled by her hand.

"Worried about old Hagar?" Fenris questioned as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder to the massive wolf who was now on his back with a hind leg kicking happily into the air as a gigling Praetoria rubbing his stomach with both hands. "Ah, he is a softie for little ones, couldn't bring harm to 'em if his life depended on it. Only thing he is dangerous to is Grimm and the clan meat supplies."

There was another beat of silence before a thoroughly annoyed looking Pyrrha spun on her heels and stomped back inside muttering darkly to herself as Jaune and Fenris collapsed onto their backsides before heaving a breath of relief in unison. Emerald and company flattened themselves against the wall as Pyrrha marched past on her way to retrieve her scroll. Once the agitated spartan had disappeared down the basement stairs the group moved outside to the still sitting Jaune and Fenris.

"You should probably get up and contact Glynda before Pyrrha comes back up Jaune. I don't think she is in the best mood right now." Ren stated matter-of-factly as he held out his hand to help his friend up.

"Would you like to also point out that fire is hot and water is wet while you're stating the obvious?" Fenris asked sarcastically as he pushed himself up from the ground. All-father and his sons protect who ever gets on lady Arkos's bad side."

"Good thing it is fairly simple to keep on her good side, at least for me." Jaune smirked slightly before his expression became more serious. "Did Glynda tell you any details about the mission Fenris? I know she was aware that Pyrrha and I were going to take a bit of down time to help get our friend back on her feet. It isn't like her to send out a pack of hunters and their giant wolves just on a random relief mission."

"She gave us a contract and files that stated we were to assist a settlement in danger and to provide whatever help we could to two of her most trusted huntsmen and that was about it. One thing she did tell me to say is that for you at least it would be a good fight to tell as a fairy tale and that old friends might be involved."

Ren, Jaune and Nora all stiffened at Fenris's last statement in such a subtle way that anyone not looking for it would miss. Fenris narrowed his eyes as he let out a displeased hum at the reaction. His hum cause the rest of the heavily armed and armored members of his clan to shift into a more weary stance, even Hagar rolled back to his feet and nudged a perplexed Praetoria out of the way any direct line of fire.

"She always was a little cryptic on some things, I'll contact her and iron out the details." Jaune stated with a reassuring smile, time and life having forced him to drastically improve his once notoriously bad poker face. "I'll fill you in on all the details once I get them Fenris, until then just sit tight and help yourself to some refreshments. Kitchen is in the back and don't worry about eating use out of house and home, we aren't strangers to big gatherings so we have plenty."

Fenris raised a eyebrow before nodding his thanks and giving a subtle hand gesture to which caused his tensed clansmen relaxed. "We wouldn't want to impose, especially in this our first meeting though I thank you for the gesture."

"Well the offer stands, I'll get back to you as soon as I am done talking with Glynda and getting the full details." Jaune turned towards his sister and scratched the back of his head gently. "Hey Liz, mind taking Tori and getting her a snack and set up for the evening."

"No problem." Lizzy smiled and beckoned the young shaded over to which Praetoria happily did. "if you do take the job don't worry, I can watch the squirt until you guys get back."

"Me and Renny don't have anything better to do so we can grab some stuff and keep you company!" Nora stated as she hobbled over to Liz and Praetoria. "Our apartment can get so boring when you are just sitting around eating pancakes all day. That and the landlord is such a wet blanket, he won't let me work on Maghild in the building."

"He has every right to limit what is allowed on his property Nora." Ren stated with a sigh.

"Oh, you are just taking his side because you are allowed to work on stormflower."

"He allows me to work on Stormflower as it doesn't classify as light artillery Nora..."

"Yesh, you cause several instances of structural damage and people never let you live it down."

Fenris blinked and looked to Jaune while Emerald covered her face as the two friends bickered back and forth. "Are they always like this?"

"Pretty much, they have been joined at the hip since before we met in beacon." Jaune replied with a shrug. "You get used to it pretty fast."

"I still think you guys are still WAY too cheerful all the time." Emerald stated but a small, tired smile crossed her face robbing her words of the malice they once held.

While Ren and Nora continued their good natured banter Jaune excused himself to the office and Emerald elected to follow him. While normally she would have left well enough alone she had seen the subtle reaction Fenris's message from Glynda had caused. She wasn't privy to the complete inner workings of the reformed brotherhood but she wasn't exactly stupid or oblivious either.

"You know you guys might want to rethink about your secret codes and phrases Jaune."

"I don't want to sound rude Emerald but as of right now I don't think you need to be involved."

Emerald gritted her teeth at the rather blunt statement and folded her arms across her stomach. "Oh cut the crap Jaune, I lost the ability to not get involved long before I met any of you. Hell it's my involvement that is a major reason you guys didn't want me to sit and rot in a jail cell and it was either let me work with you guys and put my experience to good use or plant my birdy ass in an unmarked grave."

Jaune paused as his hands hovered over the holo-screen and keyboard before he sighed and nodded wearily. Jaune tapped silently away on the screen as the gentle hum of noise cancelers built into the wall sprung to life and a soundproof shutter silently slid into place blocking out the bay window.

"Sorry Emerald, I get a little surly when brotherhood matters pop up. Honestly I hate the cloak and dagger crap that follows my family around like a shadow." Jaune sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel the aggravation and frustration he was emitting which caused the darker urges to bubble to the surface. The thought of ending the sources of these emotions and indulging on the negative emotions he could draw out was banished before it fully manifested.

"I understand that you want to be kept in the loop, but right now you aren't in a position to help. Well at least not directly, we will need someone to take care of Tori while we are away."

"Didn't I say I wasn't going to be a glorified nanny?"

"It is only until you are armed and ready to head back out." Pyrrha reassured as she appeared in the door way before stepping in and closing the door. "Besides I don't think Glynda or any of the head members of the brotherhood wanted you back in the field on these kinds of assignments just yet."

Emerald gave a huff of annoyance. "Well seeing as being useful is directly related to keeping me breathing that old hag can kiss my ass when I want to stick my nose in."

"While your self preservation is admirable Miss Sustrai I would advise from prying into things that you shouldn't, seeing as that is what got you into your current position." Replied a cold and stern voice which caused the former thief to go ridged.

Behind Emerald on the desk the holo-screen of the computer had blinked into life as soon as it registered the room secure, allowing the latest headmaster of Beacon to listen in on Emerald's statement. Glynda Goodwitch's features showed the wear from years and events. Once shimmering blonde hair was now streaked with grey and her face was marked with worry lines and Nevermore's feet. Despite these obvious signs of aging Glynda wore them well and could still be considered attractive by any standard. Time had also not affected her most important feature.

Her glare.

Emerald slowly, haltingly, turned around as a bead of sweat forming at her temple. Baleful green eyes greeted her own red and bored into her with laser like intensity, causing Emerald's fight or flight instincts to kick into overdrive.

"GAH!"

Emerald jumped away from the desk, quickly ducking behind Jaune and forcing him to Bring Croea Mors up and deploying the shield. The bewildered knight had little time to react as the unfolding segments caught him in the chin, the force making him go cross-eyed. Emerald poked her head around Jaune's shoulder and shield, her own glare of annoyance locking onto Glynda's.

"Watch were you point that glare of yours lady! Libel to kill someone!"

The faintest traces of a smile tugged at Glynda's lips as she spoke."I didn't think you spooked so easily miss Sustrai."

Emerald's scowled deepened as she emerged from behind Jaune who shook his head trying to regaining his wits. "Listen Goodwitch, I have stared down a pissed off Cinder and the closest thing to evil incarnate on several occasions so I am a bit of a expert on what constitutes a 'evil glare'! Let me tell you that you gave both of them a run for their money so excuse me for flinching!"

"I can't tell if I should be flattered or insulted by that Miss Sustrai."

"Back handed complements are a forte of mine so take it as both."

The slight smirk that graced Glynda's lips disappeared as quickly as it had come

You do like to walk a fine line, don't you miss Sustrai? So other than testing my patience is there any particular reason you are gracing this _private_ meeting with your presence?"

"You already heard why." Emerald stated before crossing her arms across her chest. " I Just want to be kept in the loop. Since I'm going to get sucked back in sooner or later I might as well get right to it. Saves you the trouble of catching me up any more than you have too."

"Not the worst reasoning I've heard Glynda." Jaune stated as he collapsed Croea Mors back down to a sheath before clipping the venerable weapon back to his belt. "She is quite literally in the middle of the lions den and we have her under as heavy surveillance as the brotherhood can allow without tipping our hand to the councils. She has promised to go on the level and Pyrrha and I believe in her."

While we have seen fit to make use of Emerald's knowledge and... talents, we of the brotherhood still have our reservations about giving her access to certain knowledge and have need of her to prove herself before we can start to place any amount of trust into Her." Glynda stated before gently pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

Pyrrha clicked her tongue at the response, causing Glynda to turn her attention to the red-head. "Really Glynda? After everything Emerald has been through with us, all of the times she could have slipped away or turned on us and she still isn't trustworthy? Do those actions and our belief in her really count for so little?"

Glynda hesitated for a heart beat, seemingly choosing her next words carefully. "I trust you and Jaune implicitly, Pyrrha. However due to Miss Sustrai's semblance and her prior actions we cannot say just how genuine your belief in her is."

The silence that follows the statement is complete enough that the whine of servos straining as two robotic fists clench can be clear. Pyrrha and Jaune turn to see Emerald with head bowed and teeth gritted.

"It's always because of my semblance... Ever since it awoke I have been alone, untrusted, and feared." Emerald's voice is barely above a whisper as she speaks. "It only got worse when I realized not only could I alter perception but memories and emotions as well. Do you really think me messing around in someone's head doesn't have serious drawbacks? It's a two-way street, to get into someone's head I have to let them into mine and the experience is far from pleasant for _either_ parties. Why else do you think I almost never used my semblance to do more that alter a person's physical perceptions?"

Pyrrha placed a hand on Emerald's shoulder comfortingly as she met Glynda's stare head on. "Our faith and belief in Emerald isn't forged Glynda. I wouldn't expect a human to fully understand but Shaded are connected in a way humans and Faunus aren't. We are empathic beings now Glynda, trying to mess with our thoughts and feelings is nearly impossible at this point and even if she were to succeed then Jaune or I would be able to sense the irregularity in each other."

Glynda arched an eyebrow as she digested Pyrrha's explanation. The fact of the matter was very little was known about the just over decade old new specie other than base physiological information. The mental changes and quirks of the race had barely been looked at let alone studied and most likely would take decades if not centuries of study and research to be fully comprehended by anyone outside of the species. "I suppose that is very true. Forgive me for my earlier statement but you must realized that I must think of this in terms of what Miss Sustrai is capable of doing to a human mind."

Jaune gave a mirthless chuckle as he shook his head. "Just another thing we will add to the list of things the you and the brotherhood need to apologize for."

Glynda sighed heavily knowing that despite continued relations she and the actions she was associated with had had caused a rift between her and her form pupils. "I realize that your involvement with the Brotherhood has been less than ideal and your joining the ranks less than willing but we do value your assistance and continued involvement despite the past."

"Well it was like we were going to just let the Brotherhood continue without some sort of oversight." Jaune retorted. "We wouldn't want you to go all "the needs of the many outweigh those of the few" again and try shoving the weight of the world on some poor girl's shoulders. There are enough martyrs as it is without people actively trying to create them..."

"Jaune..."

Jaune held up a gauntleted hand, effectively cutting the older huntress off. "We've been over this Glynda. Apologies won't change the past or undo the trauma. What you can do is let us help you not make the same mistakes twice."

Jaune cast a brief glance to the still quiet Emerald, noting that her eyes flickered dimly as she sought to keep a level head. "Some people at least know and admit that the wrongs they have done are too great to totally be forgiven but will strive to atone for them as much as they can. The brotherhood must do the same."

Glynda sighed and gave a sad smile, allowing her business like mask to fall off as true emotions crossed her face. "It saddens me to think when I first saw you all those years ago that I had such little faith in you becoming anything let along the hunter and person you are today."

Jaune could only return the sad smile, his own reserves of mental stamina draining from keeping the build up of negative emotions from getting to him. "It saddens me to have learned that people I thought were heroes were capable of sacrificing others."

"Yeah well life sucks, get a fucking helmet."

The rather blunt statement snapped the gathered hunters out of their melancholy and bitterness as all eyes turned back to Emerald. "The only options are between bad and worse so we have to suck it up and make the bad options as good as they can get so the blind masses can keep believing in black and white with happily ever afters."

Glynda blinked in surprise at the statement before schooling her face back into it's customary neutral expression and nodding. "While rather crass Miss Sustrai's words ring true. I feel that we have picked at old wounds long enough, might we continue with the mission briefing?"

"Still want me to take a hike Goodwitch?" Emerald asked in a tired tone while hooking a thumb over her shoulder at the study door. "I think I've caused enough distractions for one day and am too drained to argue further."

The aging huntress paused for a beat before shaking her head. "While I should ask you to leave I doubt you will not find out as I cannot physically stop Jaune or Pyrrha from relaying the information."

"Splendid, do please continue Glynda." Pyrrha stated as a warm smile gracing her face.

Glynda nodded before promptly beginning. "While I do understand that both you and Jaune were to take several days away from missions to assist Miss Sustrai acclimate to her new life the unfortunate passing of the winter maiden, Elsa Evergreen, has come earlier that anticipated."

As she spoke, Glynda's window shrank as a portrait of a elderly woman appeared in a new window along with texts and files that scrolled beneath it. The now deceased maiden had a grandmotherly air to her, with long steel grey hair done into a modest bun in a traditional Valian fashion common to the northern most settlements. The text files that scrolled beneath her stated the maiden had lived to the ripe age of 78 and listed several descendants and a spouse.

Jaune pulled out his scroll and opened it to tablet form and began skimming through the available data. "Was she killed or anything suspicious about her death?"

Glynda shook her head. "None that we can see from the medical reports that are available but that is one of the things the brotherhood would like you to look into. Elsa was a somewhat reclusive person with a nature befitting the winter maiden. She was still actively traveling until several years ago and had settled in with her son and his family. She and her family had been living in a small satellite village just outside Atlas's border but just over a year ago she and her family moved to a newly settled village due to her son being offered a lucrative job."

"What does he do for a living?" Pyrrha questioned as she began sorting through the files collected on the maiden's family.

"He is a foreman for dust mining operations who was in the employ of the former Schnee dust company." Glynda answered as she once more gently pushed her glasses up her nose. "He now works under the NEW Schnee dust name. The site of the mines and village is actually one with quite the history. It was originally a proposed settlement site for both Vale and Mistral, one of the many contested areas that lead to the great war."

Another window opened showing what looked a volcano on the coast that had blown out it's side, leaving a horseshoe shaped caldera with the open side facing the ocean and a near third of the inner area forming a natural and well protected cove. Jaune let out a low whistle as the tactician on him could only appreciate the site.

"I can see why that it was a contested area, that place is a dream come true in terms of natural defenses. Mountainous terrain all around, clear open access to the ocean and if that volcano is extinct then it must be just riddled with dust veins!"

"Which is why one Whitley Schnee has taken interest in the colonization of the site." Glynda agreed.

Emerald gave a humorless chuckle. "And just what do you think the odds of ol' Shitley Schnee picking a foreman that just so happens to be related to an aging Maiden who happens to have several granddaughters?"

"Highly unlikely." Glynda supplied as her tone darkened. "He has also only paid lip service to the defense of the town proper while most of his forces are continuing mining operations with a drive bordering reckless. Add to the fact that the Lost contingent that has taken to leading the sieging Grimm forces seems extremely driven and well coordinated even by their standards yet are 'repulsed' at the eleventh hour make this all highly suspect."

"He is looking for something, not just the maiden." Pyrrha concluded. "And someone is helping him use the Lost. The only person with that kind of knowledge on how to control them would be."

"Watts..." Emerald hissed through gritted teeth. "Doubt he will be on site, that fuck won't fight unless he has too."

"Regardless of where he is, it is vital that we both secure the maiden and save the town." Glynda stated. "As of now Vale is mobilizing a relief force in the form of the newly established Vale Defense Force but they won't be able to mobilize for at least a few more days. In the mean time Vale has commissoned several large scale hunter contracts as a stop gap measure. They are only for large groups of hunters which is the only reason I hired this Fenris Frostmaw and his clansmen. All they need to know is that this is a relief mission, I would advise you to stick to that story. After securing the maiden and her family your secondary objective is to find out as much as you can on if Watts is truely connected to Whitley Schnee and what the two are looking for besides the maiden."

Jaune let out a soft growl as he crossed his arms in front his chest. "I REALLY don't like the idea of Whitley getting wind of magic and the maidens but I hope you are not expecting us to use this Fenris guy and his group as cannon fodder."

"I don't expect you to Jaune. If things look like they are going badly I want you to get as many civilians out of harms way as possible. This might be the first time a lead on Watts has surfaced in years since he went to ground but it most certainly won't be the last. We will have another chance to learn more and now we at least have a perspective link between him and Whitley Schnee."

Jaune gave a small sigh of relief and nodded. "Well at least we can agree on that then. We will make sure the new maiden is safe and get her and her family out of the reach of anyone looking to exploit her. If thinks get really bad we will do all we can to evacuate as many people out of there with her, would actually be easier to keep this from looking suspicious if that were the case."

"Are you saying you WANT the Lost and the Grimm to wipe this town out Jaune?" Pyrrha asked as she turned her gaze to her husband.

"W-what!? N-no! Of course I don't! I'm just saying that it would be better cover to evacuate large groups of people instead of just one particular family!" Jaune spluttered as he waved his hands defensively in front of him causing all present to smile despite the rather dark humor.

"Hopefully you will be able to find a good cover story as to why you are evacuating just one family that doesn't include letting a town fall to the Grimm." Glynda stated levelly though a ghost of a smile crossed her face.

"I have sent all the information we have on the area and the forces in them, both Schnee and Grimm, that we have available. I wish you both luck and do pass that on to Fenris and his friends. Just make sure that you keep them as unaware of your secondary goals as possible, I needn't remind you that keeping the maiden and her family safe is only matched in importance to saving this town."

Jaune nodded. "On that we can agree. Just one more thing Glynda, what is the plan in regards to the Maiden and her family after we get them out?"

"That... Well we will cross that bridge when we get to it." Glynda sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose as exhaustion crept into her voice. "Right now priority is saving both the maiden and this town. We can work out the details as we go."

"Never thought you'd be one to fly by the seat of your pants Goodwitch." Emerald chuckled dryly which caused Glynda to frown and sigh once more.

"I'm not but fate rarely gives us the time or the means to do little else. Don't think you will be able to feel smug for too long Miss Sustrai, I intend to make sure you work to earn the second chance you were given."

Emerald scowled as with those parting words Glynda cut the transmission with Emerald throwing several crude gestures to where the holo-screen once was. "Geez she needs to get laid."

"To be fair Emerald you aren't exactly the easiest person to get along with." Pyrrha commented causing the form thief to grumble in grudging agreement.

Jaune nodded silently as he briefly scanned through the files Glynda had sent once more before closing his scroll. "I actually would have liked you to come with us on this one. Next to Blake you are probably the best choice when it comes to intel gathering. I think it is best to not test Glynda too much though, we are probably going to catch hell from the other heads of the Brotherhood for allowing you to sit in on this let along taking you along."

Jaune began shutting down the privacy measures as he spoke, once more allowing natural light to filter through the bay window as the shutter retracted. Emerald was surprised at the color of the light that came in. By the look of it they had been talking for the better part of an hour.

"How long do you think you will need to get ready Pyrrha? I'd like to get moving before too long."

"Not long Jaune, I just need to reassemble Psíthyros and get my combat gear and traveling equipment ready."

As the couple began discussing the particulars and whether or not their airship could accommodate all the great wolves Emerald could only smile. "Well while you two get all geared up I will run back to the guest house and grab some stuff for me and Liz. I doubt you need it but I'd be a crappy friend if I didn't wish you luck."

"Well we aren't the only ones that will be needing luck. I hope you are ready to for your first taste of day-to-day life at our humble house." stated causing Emerald to chuckle.

"Oh please, I'm not the one that has to rescue a maiden and stop a horde of Grimm lead by a group of Lost in the middle of a Schnee occupation. Granted Nora will be lurking around but between me, Ren and Liz and Nora's injuries I doubt she will give us TOO much trouble."

"It isn't Nora you have to worry about..." Pyrrha warned which only caused Emerald to chuckle even more.

"Oh come on, are you actually trying to imply that Praetoria will be more trouble then a Nora? She is five, how hard can it be to keep her in line and occupied?"

Jaune and Pyrrha looked to each other as each gave a tired knowing smile to the other before walking past Emerald. The avian Shade raised a eyebrow as both gave her a consoling pat on her shoulders as they passed before exiting out the door without a word. She watched the couple shake their heads as the turned the corner and out of sight, leaving Emerald with a questioning look on her face.

"Guys?"


	9. Chapter 9

Recut Gem

Chpt 9

Jaune and Pyrrha along with Fenris's group of hunters had flown non-stop for nearly a day towards the besieged town. It was exhausting work for the married couple as only they had pilot licenses and even switching off the flight had took it's toll. It was only when their fuel had nearly run out (and Fenris bluntly pointing out that wolves couldn't us a toilet) that Jaune agreed to set down at the nearest town.

The Town they set down in was one of the many new settlements that had popped up in the wake of "The Crisis" as it had come to be known and had little of the warmth of a naturally grown town. All the central building around the landing pad were utilitarian in their design and uniform in their placement. Several other groups of hunters milled about the landing pads, adding blobs of color to the otherwise industrial coloration of the scenery.

The sight of over a dozen over sized wolves exiting the airship drew more that a few stares from the several other hunters but they still respectfully kept their distance. As the engines spooled down Fenris oversaw the marshalling of his clansmen before sending a detachment to go with the wolves as they went to relieve themselves. As the group left he sighed before heading back into the airship and made his way to the cockpit. Pyrrha and Jaune had just finished shutting everything down in preparation of refueling as he arrived.

"Well with my men being busy with their little mission I do believe we have some time to ourselves." Fenris stated in a jovial tone. "Shall we go over the rough battle plan just to make sure we have all are bases cover?

Jaune looked over his shoulder as he slipped the headset off and nodded. "It wouldn't hurt seeing as we've never worked together before. Judging by that armored contraption that you forced us to carry with us I suspect you will want to find a use for it?"

Fenris chuckled as he sat down at the vacant communications station just behind Pyrrha and the co-pilot seat. "That 'armored contraption' as you so elegantly put it has seen more that it's fair share of fights and come out on top. Though to answer your question, yes, I would like to figure it into the plan. My clan is more used to hit and run tactics rather than standing on or behind a wall."

Jaune nodded at the statement and closed his eyes in thought. "Well that isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case. If we use you and your mobility we can maybe draw away some of the Grimm that are attacking. It probably won't get all of the Grimm away from the attach thanks to the Lost leading the attack but it should at least give the defenders some more breathing room."

"My thoughts exactly." Fenris gave a almost feral grin of delight. "If the leader pokes his head up while we nip at his backside we might just be cut his thread and cause the them to turn on themselves."

Pyrrha sighed and shook her head. 'While that might work with a normal bandit clan the Lost operate differently. Even if we kill the leader the next Lost in command will take up the reigns. They may look like a disorganized group but they are just as organized as some armies; they have a clear chain of command."

'Hmph, so we can't rely on in-fighting to allow for an opening to finish them off." Concluded Fenris with an annoyed huff.

Jaune gave a morbid chuckle. "Kinda the whole point about our species. We were meant to bring order to the Grimm and turn them into a true fighting force. Lucky for us we forced them to deploy the Shade parasite early before the process to wipe the host's mind was finished."

Fenris gave a almost imperceptible shudder. the thought of having one's mind stripped away a feeling he couldn't fathom. "Truly a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone. It does beg the question however, if the army is marching, then who is commanding it and why?"

Jaune and Pyrrha stiffened slightly as both caught the knowing stare that Fenris drifted between the couple. Both spared a brief glance at one another before Pyrrha chose to answer.

"Without Salem the Lost are without any real direction. More than likely they were drawn to the fighting around the settlement and took advantage of the existing situation for their own gain."

Fenris raised an eyebrow before giving a slow sigh and shake of his head. "Truly the game of cloak and dagger is an ill fit for the two of you. I had hoped you would give me the credit of not thinking me a blind fool. There is something more going on here than just a large scale Grimm attack and I feel ill at ease if my allies are holding back information."

The trio sat in an uncomfortable silence as the moments dragged by. Both Pyrrha and Jaune knew that divulging any information was a monumental risk to take. Even if hired by Glynda there was no sure way of knowing if Fenris could be trusted with even the slightest bit of truth. The sad story of headmaster Lionharte had proven that no one was beyond being compromised.

"I won't lie to you Fenris, me and my wife do have secondary objectives but that is the extent of what I am willing to share with you." Jaune stated bluntly.

Fenris frowned and narrowed his eyes at Jaune. "I had pegged you for an honest man Arkos. It is a shame that any truth I hear from you is destined to be only half of what it is."

"We're sorry." Pyrrha lamented quietly. "We would tell you more if we could but some things need to be hidden. It is a hard and bitter fact that me and my husband have learned first hand. Secrets have caused us so much pain that given the chance we wouldn't keep them."

"Yet here you are with secrets willing kept." Fenris replied coolly. "I suppose every person is entitled their secrets, even you two."

Fenris stood sharply and cast one last glance between the two hunters. "Just let me state this then. I will fulfill the contract I took on with my men and stand by you in battle. However don't expect me to let you two stand behind me or have me be your sacrifice should you need lives spent for you."

With his piece said Fenris turned and walked out of the cockpit, leaving the two Shaded in a cold silence. Jaune heaved a restless sigh and ran a hand over his face as he leaned back. He didn't need his Shaded senses to feel the dark mood that Fenris had left in. The Faunus seemed to be and odd sort but not in any bad way, though Jaune would have said the same about Emerald when they first met and that hadn't exactly been the case at the time.

Granted things had changed drastically since then but life and death experiences and horrible traumas tended to have that sort of effect on people.

"Gods, how did we get into this life Pyrrha."

Pyrrha smiled sadly and moved to her husband and leaned in and embraced him in a gentle hug briefly. "Not willingly Jaune, this life was never what either of us wanted. As self justifying as it might sound by keeping the details away from Fenris we can at least try and keep him from getting him and his men sucked into all of this."

Jaune gave a humorless laugh. "dear gods we are turning into Ozpin... I suddenly realize why Qrow punishes his liver like he does. Good intentions or not it still doesn't help that Fenris doesn't feel like he can fully trust us in battle. That isn't a good thing in the long run as it could get us ALL killed."

"Not to mention that he knows there is more going on here than what he was told." Pyrrha stated glumly. 'I doubt he is going to stand idly by if he feels his men are in danger. He is going start looking for answers and I doubt anything good will happen to him no matter what he finds."

"Nothing is ever easy with this whole 'secret magic' crap is it?"

Pyrrha gave another small smile before giving her husband a chaste peck on the lips. "It wouldn't appear so. Ironic given that magic is supposed to make everything easier."

Jaune chuckled before standing. "Well while we let the bad blood fester we might as well get started on fueling the ship. Would you mind contacting Glynda and seeing if there are any updates on the situation? I'd rather fly into this fight with as much sharable information as we can get, might go a ways in getting Fenris not feeling like he and his men are expendable cannon fodder."

Pyrrha Nodded before sighing gently. "I'll talk to Glynda, we will need a cover story at any rate for why we will be taking a single family if the Winter Maiden powers did go to one of the grandchildren. Hopefully I will be able to make it as white of a lie as I can to at least show that we have no bad intentions."

line break

Fenris was deep in thought as he wandered the small settlement as he mulled the current situation over in his head. It didn't take a Atlisian dust scientist to figure out that he was being kept in the dark. He had never personally worked with either hunters before but even for someone in a semi-nomadic tribe he heard plenty about the famous Arkos couple.

He had heard both good and bad things about the couple but as with any hearsay he took it all with a healthy amount of salt. The stories he had heard about them mostly painting the a pair of fallen paragons risen from the mud to stand proud defenders once more. While they _seemed_ to be a decent pair their lack of forthrightness countered this. With brow furrowed in thought the Faunus hunter made his way to the outer gate of the settlement and after giving the stationed guards a distracted nod before walking out.

"Careful brother, thinking to much will hurt your head."

Fenris's head snapped up at the sound of the gravelly monotone voice and gave a smirk at the speaker. The Faunus that approached Fenris appeared to have stepped out of a great war era promotional film. He wore a worn charcoal gray greatcoat and around his neck hung a full face gas mask with both a filter on one side of it's blunt muzzle while a thick insulated hose connected the other side to a small air tank strapped to the small of his back. A dented and singed Atlesian style Stahl-helm from the now century old war was clipped to his belt which an assortment of incendiary grenades also called home. Most eye catching was the fact that the Greatcoats arms had long since been removed, causing the wearer to go completely bare armed ans showed off that both arms heavily tattooed with red, yellow, and orange stylized flames from fingertip to shoulder.

'Most of my headaches comes from dealing from you and your perchance to set everything you touch aflame Logi." frenis sniped back with a hint of amusement. "Your fascination with the very thing that nearly cost you your arms would be considered unhealthy by most."

Logi shrugged not commit ally as he and Fenris fell into step with each other. Side by side the family resemblance could be easily seen between the two though Logi did stand a head taller than his brother. Both brothers had rounded but still lean faces with expressive eyes and pronounced jaw. Still as brothers each had their differences with Logi having more craggy features marked by small pin point burn scars while Fenris had a much more fair complexion, almost statuesque in nature. further differentiating the two was Logi's almost stone like show of emotions to Fenris's comparatively open wearing of his emotions.

Behind the two the rest of their group fell into step, idly chatting and enjoying the quiet time before the coming battle. The rough barks of laughter along with the actual barks from the wolves made for a intimidating presences but the Faunus and Human members of the group did their best to corral the Pony sized wolves and their more aggressive behaviors. They were all more than aware at the primal fear that the sight of the wolves caused to those unaccustomed to such massive predatory creatures.

"Your thoughts are of the Arkos pair." Logi said as more of a statement than a question to which Fenris nodded and hummed to the affirmative.

"Indeed. An odd pair to be sure, they do not strike me as secretive and confirm as much by stating they have secondary orders but refuse to elaborate."

Logi shrugged before giving a Wolf's tail a sharp tug as the animal closed in on a merchant selling cured meats. He ignored the yelp of displeasure from the wolf and the nervous looks the other residents gave him at the disruption. "I see little wrong with that. They have their orders, we have ours."

"True." Fenris considered. "But that still does not easy my thoughts. This whole affair stinks worse that a fish market on a hot day. Why have a secondary objectives on a strait forward relief and exterminate mission?" Fenris asked as the group made a round a-bout return to the airdocks.

His brother grunted and once again shrugged. "That is for them to worry about. If it turns into trouble for us we burn it with the rest of the Grimm."

"You have the mindset and subtly of an inferno Logi." Fenris dead panned

"I take that as a compliment."

Fenris sighed and shook his head. While intelligent and more than reliable, Logi tended to be the blunter of the brothers having once questioned 'why fight just fire with fire? Fire should always be used to fight no matter what you are up against'. "Brother I wish I could view the world as simply as you do some days. Do you truly not see that bigger things are afoot here than what we are being told?"

Logi looked to Fenris ans though his facial features barely changed at all Fenris hand long since realized to read his brother's true emotions one need only observe his eyes. Right now the glare they held had the distinct look of being insulted.

"I am not oblivious Fenris. I merely don't care. Whatever happens in the shadows is of little concern to me. We were hired to accompany the Arkos couple and to kill Grimm, nothing more and nothing less. That is all that this situation is as far as we are concerned."

"I feel that it will come to concern us whether we want it to or not." Fenris warned.

Logi gave a rare smirk as he looked towards his brother. "Well then the situation will have only itself to blame when it brings the Frostmaw clan's ire down on itself.

* * *

The slow monotonous tick of a ornate grandfather clock dominated the air in the large, almost sterile office. Richly appointed with bookshelves and artwork the feel of the room seemed to suck what little emotions these decorations provided from them. Everything in the office, from the massive painting of Beacon that sat behind the richly carved white oak desk to the orderly and symmetrical row of different colored pens lining the desk, was position in such a way to direct all attention to the rooms sole inhabitant. Nothing in Whitley Schnee's office did not serve a purpose, whether it to cow his visitors or promote his achievements if it did not serve a purpose then it was clinically and ruthlessly excised from his domain.

The man in question sat enthroned behind his white desk, a emotionless look of concentration adorning his face as he concentrated on several holo-screens that were projected from his desk. in the central screen was a older man, his hair gone steel gray from age. Dressed in a Charcoal gray suit with gold accents, he gave off a profession air even with his suit jacket unbuttoned and his red button vest visible, The look on his face was one of casual indifference and disinterest despite the fact that Whitley's gaze was trying to bore it's way through the screen and into the man's head.

"You told me that you could control them Watts." Whitley growled out, his voice dangerously calm and even. "It should have been simplicity itself for my men to start the mines, get to this research facility you claimed is there, and prove the effectiveness of my companies latest powered armor prototype. I ask you then, why it is that not only are my prototypes facing forces far larger than we planned but also why the Grimm were allowed to get into the mines!"

To his credit Watts gave a apologetic look and bowed his head in a placating manner, if only briefly as he answered. "My sincerest apologies Master Schnee, the failure to control the Grimm is not due in any part to my fault. While I have certain control over any number of Grimm the issue is that a force of Lost found their way to the settlement and are interfering."

Whitley arched and eyebrow as he steepled his finger's in front of him, his glare intensifying. "And just how does the addition of a group of rabid mutant freaks, ones that you yourself created, cause your 'perfect' control of Grimm to fall to pieces?"

"The Lost were supposed to be the line officers of Lady Salem's forces, marshaling and directing the Grimm into a more effective and deadly force." Watts replied easily. "While I did indeed create them they were created with the intent of following Lady Salem's orders. I myself had limited control over them but without Salem's presence what little control I had on them disappeared. Right now you could say that the Lost 'outrank' me in terms of chain of command. Therefore they are effectively in control and acting on 'standing orders' if you will, which is to say the disruption of any and all major Kingdom undertakings."

Whitley's eye twitched subtly but enough for Watts to notice and for a genuine look of concern to cross the old doctor's face. When Whitley Schnee's face betrayed any emotion other than polite disinterest was when he was at his most dangerous. Loss of control, no matter how trivial seeming, was one of the surest ways to gain the young man's dangerous ire.

"I do not like not having control Arthur." Whitley ground out as he tried to contain himself. "I would think in the short time you have been working for me you would have realized that I view control as everything. Now why having you failed to mention that you have no control over your own freakish creations!"

Watts once more bowed his head in apology as a small bead of sweat trailed down from his temple. "Your dislike of not having control is the reason. This lack of control is also why I suggest we find the research facility hidden in the pre-war mines. The previous owner had supplied me with several pieces of information that I used during the creation of the Lost. Sadly my own stores of this data were destroyed during my rather hasty departure from my previous employer."

"And if we get this information?" Whitley asked as the anger in his voice receded slightly.

Watts let out a silent sigh of relief, having at least satisfied, if not placated, Whitley with the explanation. "Then I will be able to begin work on controlling the Lost, though I will admit this will take time. Without lady Salem and several resources she had available it will mean I will need to find substitutes for the control process."

Whitley gave a tsk of disapproval, his dislike of having to sink more into Watts research a given. But control of the Grimm and even the Lost was a prize that was worth the investment. Control was everything, and to have control over something most would say was uncontrollable was to have power over those people.

"I see... I am disappointed in you Watts, I do not like being lied to, through omission or otherwise." Whitley stated. "Consider this my only warning to you, fail to mention something like this again and being captured and put on trial for your crimes against humanity will be the least of your concerns. Do I make myself clear?"

Watts gave a bow and nodded. "abundantly clear my good sir. I will endeavor to prove my loyalty to you to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership."

With those parting words the screen blanked out, returning to the default screen with the Schnee logo at it's center. Whitley gave a sigh of frustration before padding over to to a cabinet that house several bottles of spirits. As he browsed the selection of liquors a secondary screen on his desk blinked to life, a shadowy figure peering from it.

"Is he speaking truthfully about the data that is housed in the research facility?" Whitley asked, not bothering to turn and face the screen as the shadowed figure's left eye gave a crimson gleam of light.

"He does, though to be truthful there are several such facilities that house such data. I am nothing if not thorough in keeping my life's work safe." Replied the screen.

"So you think we can trust him?" Whitley asked as he selected a long necked green bottle, the once white label yellowed with age, before pouring himself a healthy glass of the stored liquid within.

The screen chuckled was genuine mirth at the question. "My dear Mr. Schnee, of course you can't trust him, he says he will be loyal and trustworthy! That is why you _can_ trust me. I openly admit that given the chance I will gladly use and sacrifice you for my own gain as I know you would do the same. Never trust a trustworthy person as they will always try and hide their true intentions when those intentions change."

"I see once again we are in full agreement then. He is after something other than just the facility." Whitley stated, causing the screen to laugh once more.

"Aren't we all? Ah me, I do quite like our chats Mr. Schnee, it will be a pity once I am forced to terminate our partnership." the screen bluntly stated. "I suppose you would like to know what the good doctor was doing in meddling in our systems?"

Whitley gave a wry smile at the screen's impertinence, it went unsaid that he would also come to miss these little talks when he found his 'friend's' usefulness at an end. He swirled the deep crimson colored wine in his glass and nodded before taking a sip.

"Surprisingly it was very boring things indeed." the screen replied with an almost disappointed tone. "He merely fixed the decision of who would be the foreman of the mine and changed the terms of the foreman's contract to be to good to pass up. I will send you the relevant data to your terminal, I doubt he did this out of the goodness of his heart. I have a feeling in my bones that we are on the brink of something grand!"

The screen winked off shortly before a file transfer notification appeared on Whitley's terminal.

"I am interested to see where all this leads as well." Whitley stated to the empty room as he settle himself back behind his desk before taking another long sip of his wine. He savored the taste as he rolled it around his mouth before swallowing with a audible sigh of appreciation.

Whitley did enjoy a good merlot more than anything else.


End file.
